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Real Madrid came from behind to reach the Copa del Rey final, as Antonio Rudiger scored an extra-time header to secure a barnstorming 4-4 draw with Real Sociedad for a 5-4 aggregate win.
In an incredible second-half of football, both teams had put one foot in the final, but the defender dealt La Real the heartbreaking blow in the 115th minute.
The visitors gave Madrid a scare as they grabbed the lead through Ander Barrenetxea in the 16th minute, who slotted a fine strike through Andrii Lunin’s legs.
However, Endrick restored parity in the second leg, latching onto Vinicius Junior’s superb outside-of-the-boot throughball to dink the equaliser over Alex Remiro 15 minutes later.
Following a 1-0 win in the first leg, Carlo Ancelotti’s side looked comfortable in the second half, with a draw enough to secure them a place in the final.
They found themselves pegged back once more in the 72nd minute, as Pablo Marin’s pullback was diverted into the Madrid net by an unfortunate David Alaba.
Mikel Oyarzabal then gave La Real the aggregate lead for the first time, with his strike also taking a big deflection off Alaba, which took it away from Lunin and in off the post.
However, Madrid hit right back two minutes later as Jude Bellingham fired home a first-time effort from close range, and Aurelien Tchouameni thought he had sent Los Blancos to the final when he headed in Rodrygo’s corner in the 86th minute.
Alaba’s woeful night was not yet over, though, as he failed to clear a corner, and Oyarzabal was left unmarked to head in the Basque side’s fourth goal three minutes into stoppage time, taking the match into extra time.
Just when it looked like penalties were looming, substitute Rudiger stepped up to the plate. He rose high to head Rodrygo’s corner into the bottom-left corner for the equaliser, sending them through on aggregate.
Madrid, who have won the Copa del Rey just once in the last decade, will play either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid in what promises to be a mouth-watering final in Seville next month.
@RealMadridEn 4-4 @RealSociedadEN (5-4 agg.)16′ Barrenetxea30′ @Endrick72′ Alaba (og)80′ Oyarzabal82′ @BellinghamJude86′ @ATchouameni90’+3′ Oyarzabal115′ @ToniRuediger@Emirates pic.twitter.com/fMklen2HN6
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) April 1, 2025
Data Debrief: Rudiger to the rescue
It was a truly remarkable game of football, proving the total opposite of the cagey first-leg affair in San Sebastian at the end of February.
There were 37 shots overall (26 to Madrid, 11 to La Real), but the visitors put on a stellar finishing display, notching their goals from 0.99 expected goals (xG), compared to Madrid’s 3.07.
Endrick, who netted the first-half equaliser, has scored five goals in five games in the Copa del Rey 2024-25, becoming the first Madrid player to score five goals in the same edition of the tournament since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2012-13 (seven).
La Real have now scored four or more goals against Madrid in a match at the Santiago Bernabeu on three occasions across all competitions in the 21st century. Only Barcelona have managed it on more occasions (five).
But they could not follow through with another goal in extra time, with Rudiger nodding in his third headed goal for Madrid this season in all competitions. No LaLiga defender has scored more.
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