After FC Barcelona won 3-2 against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, in what was a wild 120 minutes of play, it’s now time to think about what’s next at both clubs, especially at Real Madrid, where there will be even more doubts about the future of Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who looks increasingly likely to end his successful spell at the Spanish club after winning 15 trophies. Despite the success, Real Madrid are facing the risk of ending the current 2024-25 season with no trophies, and this might lead the club’s president, Florentino Perez, to look for another coach in the summer. Here’s what we learned from the final of the Copa del Rey:
Hansi Flick continues hot start
On the other side, FC Barcelona are more than happy with the decision they made in the summer of 2024 when they decided to appoint former Bayern Munich head coach Hansi Flick to start a new cycle at the club. Flick, in his first season at the club, has already won two trophies as the Blaugrana won the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey after beating Real Madrid twice in the finals, and they are currently leading the La Liga standings with a four-point margin over Real. On May 11, the two teams will meet again in Barcelona, for what might become one of the most heated matchups of recent history, while on Wednesday, Barcelona will host Inter for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals (live on Paramount+). Potentially, Flick might become the second ever manager to win the treble twice with two different teams, after Pep Guardiola, who won the league, the domestic cup and the Champions League with FC Barcelona in 2009 and with Manchester City during the 2022-23 season.
The referee dispute
The day before the Copa del Rey final, Real Madrid canceled their open training, press conference, and club dinner and asked for the replacement of the referee of the final, according to Radio Marca, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, and VAR official Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes. During a press conference in the lead-up to the final, the two spoke out about the abuse that he has received for overseeing the match, including from Real Madrid’s own TV network, saying that kids in his child’s school have told him their dad is a “thief.”
Los Blancos released an official statement ahead the match in which they doubled down requesting that the referee be changed ahead of the match.
During the final, the referee showed a great attitude and was able to keep things calm for most of the game. However, in the last minute before the extra time, Bengoetxea initially awarded a penalty to FC Barcelona for a foul by Raul Asencio on Raphinha, but the VAR intervened and the penalty was not given at the end. Things seemed to be calm again, but in the very last minute of the final, a few moments after the deciding goal scored by Jules Kounde, Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger appeared to throw something at the referee and was given a red card, as the German player was replaced by Ancelotti some minutes before. Ancelotti spoke after the final and said he had “no comments” to make about the referee.
Is Ancelotti’s era over?
Especially after losing the Copa del Rey final, there are more doubts about the future of Ancelotti at Real Madrid. Even if the Italian manager didn’t say much after the game, there are increasing reports about the Brazilian federation as they are reportedly interested in appointing Ancelotti as the new manager for Brazil. Despite Real Madrid still being in the race to win La Liga, there is a four-point gap behind their rivals. If this is the end, and an unsuccessful one, it would mark what would be the end of one of the most successful stints in the history of the sport. It’s still not clear what the final decision of Florentino Perez will be, but there is now an increasing feeling that after two UEFA Champions League wins and 15 trophies overall, Ancelotti’s cycle at the club is coming to an end.
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