Real humble Barca 3-1 at Camp Nou
Ronald fires Los Blancos into Cup final
BARCELONA, Feb 26, (Agencies): Cristiano Ronaldo crushed Barcelona’s treble hopes with two goals in a 3-1 away win for Real Madrid in their King’s Cup semi-final second leg on Tuesday to set up a final showdown against Atletico Madrid or Sevilla.
The Portuguese forward became the first player to score in six straight ‘Clasicos’ away from home when he picked himself up after being felled by Gerard Pique in the 13th minute and struck a powerful low penalty into the corner past Jose Manuel Pinto.
Barca dominated possession but rarely threatened and Ronaldo doubled the lead when he collected a rebound from a 57th-minute Angel Di Maria effort and stroked the ball into the net with Pinto stranded.
It was his 12th goal in 18 appearances against Barca since joining Real in 2009 and his second double in as many games at a stunned Nou Camp.
Real rubbed salt in the wounds of their arch-rivals when Raphael Varane, who netted the equaliser in the 1-1 draw in last month’s first leg at the Bernabeu, rose above the defence at a 68th-minute corner and sent a header arrowing into the net off the crossbar.
Jordi Alba pulled one back in the 89th minute but it was far too late for Barca who conceded three goals to Real at home for the first time since a 3-3 draw in March 2007.
Meanwhile, Sevilla midfielder Jesus Navas is looking forward to a huge night at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan as Sevilla try to overcome a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Atletico Madrid to reach the Copa del Rey final.
Navas has fond memories of the last time the two met in the competition as Sevilla won the cup for the fifth time with a 2-0 victory over Los Rojiblancos in the 2010 final and he is desperate to get back to that stage after what has otherwise been a disappointing season for Sevilla. “The feeling ahead of the game tomorrow is special. We want to play the final and we know it is going to be very difficult, but also great to play in.” he told sports daily AS.
“I have had the fortune to play games like this before, but it still gives me but- terflies. To be this close to the final doesn’t happen everyday. I have the same vibrations of those great nights that don’t happen often.”
However, both sides come into the game wounded by a scrappy first-leg that was decided by three penalties and three red cards.
Fernando Navarro and Emir Spahic miss out for Sevilla, whilst Diego Godin is also suspended for Atleti.
The visitors though appear to be in better shape than before the first-leg a month ago as Radamel Falcao has returned from a hamstring injury and Sunday’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Espanyol continued their cruise towards qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in four years.
Manager Diego Simeone though believes the tie is still wide open.
“We are going to face an important opponent in a tie that is absolutely still open. Each side has a 50% chance of going through,” he said.
Simeone has no worries on the injury front and captain Gabi will be free to play despite his red card at the weekend.
However, if there is some concern for the Argentine it comes from Atleti’s recent record on the road.
Despite sitting handsomely in the league table, Atelti have only won two of their last 10 away games in all competitions and haven’t won at Sevilla in five visits.