The Merengues unlocked their counter just before the break, on a lightning counter led by Vinicius and Benzema (45th+1), then the Ballon d'Or 2022 propelled his team to the final by placing a perfect ball at the base of Marc-Andre ter Stegen's left post (50th) and converting a penalty caused by Vinicius (58th) on the return from the locker room, before completing his hat-trick in the 81st.

A dream spring for the French centre-forward, already author of a majestic hat-trick on Sunday against Valladolid in La Liga, and an important goal against Liverpool to confirm the qualification of the Merengues for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

On Wednesday, he once again showed off his entire class.

On the first goal, he gave the ball back to Vinicius, who saw his strike slowed down the line by Jules Koundé, before the "Nueve" threw himself on it to push it into the net. On the second goal, he improved the beautiful breakthrough and the beautiful shift of Luka Modric. On the third, he took advantage of the clumsiness of Franck Kessié, who crushed the foot of "Vini" in the box. And on the fourth, he again took advantage of a counter led by the Brazilian before quietly concluding the right.

A new recital for the Real striker, who now has 25 goals and six assists in all competitions this season.

Barça folds again

Conversely, the disillusionment is immense for the coach of Barça, Xavi, who dreamed of depriving Real of a second trophy this season after having already stolen the Spanish Super Cup in January in Saudi Arabia. But he remains well on his way to taking away his throne as champion of Spain.

Karim Benzema scores one of his three goals for Real Madrid against FC Barcelona, in the semi-final second leg of the Copa del Rey, on April 5, 2023 at Camp Nou © Pau BARRENA / AFP

After three clasicos won in a row, Barça folded at home, in front of 94,902 spectators at Camp Nou. A nightmare for the Blaugrana defense, which has conceded only nine goals since the start of the season in La Liga, and took four on Wednesday.

After these goals, the Catalans tried to react, with strikes from Alex Baldé or an unlikely breakthrough from Ronald Araujo in particular... But nothing helped.

The public also died out somewhat, after heating up the beginning of the match by shouting "Messi, Messi!", as a sign of rallying for their former legend, at the end of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain.

He warmed up in the 85th, when tempers flared around Vinicius.

See you in Seville

For Ancelotti, the evening was successful: the Italian technician had bet on a very offensive composition, with Rodrygo on the right wing and Fede Valverde behind him, but the intensity deployed by his players proved him right.

He who had promised, after the defeat in the semi-final first leg at the Bernabéu, that Real would win at least one trophy this season, now has a highway: if the championship seems lost, the "White House" gives appointment to Osasuna, faller of Athletic Bilbao (1-0, 1-1 a.p.), on May 6 in Seville, for a cup final that it has not won since 2014.

It will be a month before another potential final: the Champions League final on June 10 in Istanbul.

© 2023 AFP