2025 Copa del Rey final
 Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville hosted the final. | |||||||
| Event | 2024–25 Copa del Rey | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| After extra time | |||||||
| Date | 26 April 2025 | ||||||
| Venue | La Cartuja, Seville | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Ferran Torres (Barcelona)[1] | ||||||
| Referee | Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea[2] | ||||||
| Attendance | 55,579[3] | ||||||
The 2025 Copa del Rey final was a football match to decide the winners of the 2024–25 Copa del Rey, the 123rd edition of Spain's primary football cup (including two seasons where two rival editions were played). The match was played on 26 April 2025 at Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville – in the first event at the venue following its expansion and conversion from an athletics facility ahead of its use at the 2030 FIFA World Cup[4] – between arch rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid.[5] It was the 260th competitive match between the sides and the first in a Copa del Rey final since 2014.
Barcelona won the match 3–2 after extra time for a record-extending 32nd Copa del Rey title.[5][6]
Route to the final
[edit]| Barcelona | Round | Real Madrid | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Result | Opponent | Result | |
| Barbastro | 4–0 (A) | Round of 32 | Minera | 5–0 (A)[a] |
| Real Betis | 5–1 (H) | Round of 16 | Celta Vigo | 5–2 (a.e.t.) (H) |
| Valencia | 5–0 (A) | Quarter-finals | Leganés | 3–2 (A) |
| Atlético Madrid | 4–4 (H), 1–0 (A) | Semi-finals | Real Sociedad | 1–0 (A), 4–4 (a.e.t.) (H) |
Key: (H) = Home; (A) = Away
- ^ Minera did not play the match in their main stadium Ángel Celdrán, Llano del Beal, as it did not meet the broadcasting requirements.[7]
Refereeing controversy
[edit]Ahead of the final, Real Madrid TV broadcast a video criticising the appointed match referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, stating that Barcelona won more often than Real Madrid in matches he refereed. RMTV disparaged De Burgos Bengoetxea for never being appointed to matches in the UEFA Champions League or FIFA tournaments, and included footage of several alleged refereeing errors against Real Madrid.[8]
De Burgos Bengoetxea responded at a press conference by highlighting difficulties faced by match officials and their families when their integrity is questioned, saying "When your child goes to school and is told their father is a thief by other kids, that's really tough".[9] The final's video assistant referee Pablo González Fuertes suggested that Spanish match officials may take action such as a strike due to the way they were being treated.[10]
Real Madrid branded the officials' comments 'unacceptable' and withdrew from pre-final media duties, including the press conference and official training session.[11][12]
Match
[edit]Details
[edit]| Barcelona | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | Real Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
         Barcelona
|
     Real Madrid
|
|
Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[2]
|
Match rules
|
Aftermath
[edit]The match official Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea issued three red cards — all to Real Madrid players. Antonio Rüdiger, who had already been substituted, was shown a red card during the stoppage time of extra time for throwing an object toward the referee from the technical area. Lucas Vázquez was sent off for entering the pitch to protest a refereeing decision aggressively. After the final whistle, Jude Bellingham was also dismissed for confronting the referee in an aggressive manner and had to be restrained by teammates.[13]
After being sent off, Rüdiger publicly apologized for his behaviour, admitting there was no excuse for his actions and expressed regret for disappointing the fans.[14] However, Rüdiger could be suspended for four to twelve matches, or up to three to six months if the offense is classified as more serious. Meanwhile, both Vázquez and Bellingham would receive two-match suspensions, which will be served in the next season's Copa del Rey.[15]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Each team was given only three opportunities to make substitutions, with a fourth opportunity in extra time, excluding substitutions made at half-time, before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Ferran Torres, MVP de la finalísima" [Ferran Torres, MVP of the final]. Royal Spanish Football Federation (in Spanish). 26 April 2025. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Designación arbitral completa de la final de la Copa del Rey" [Complete referee appointment of the Copa del Rey final] (PDF) (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. 21 April 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Barcelona vs. Real Madrid". ESPN. 26 April 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
- ^ "Adiós a la pista de atletismo en La Cartuja: esta es la nueva capacidad que tendrá el estadio de la final de Copa" [Goodbye to the athletics track at La Cartuja: this is the new capacity of the Copa final stadium] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 24 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Barcelona beat Atletico to set up Real Madrid final in Copa del Rey". aljazeera.com. 2 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Barcelona win thrilling Copa del Rey and drive Madrid to red card fury". Guardian. 27 April 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ^ "El Minera – Real Madrid se jugará en el Cartagonova con rebaja de 20 € para abonados locales" [The Minera – Real Madrid match will be played at the Cartagonova with a €20 discount for local season ticket holders] (in Spanish). Marca. 11 December 2024. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
- ^ "VIDEO: Real Madrid TV launch latest attack on Spanish referees by posting discouraging compilation of Copa del Rey official Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea ahead of final meeting with Barcelona". Goal.com. 25 April 2025.
- ^ "Why a Spanish referee breaking down in tears caused a furious reaction from Real Madrid". The New York Times. 26 April 2025.
- ^ "Real Madrid deny suggestions they could boycott Copa del Rey final". beIN SPORTS. 26 April 2025.
- ^ "Real Madrid will play in Copa del Rey final despite referee furore". Sky Sports. 26 April 2025. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ "Real Madrid dismiss cup final fears after referee's tears". BBC Sport. 25 April 2025. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ "Real Madrid's red cards: Antonio Rudiger 'threw object' at referee, Jude Bellingham's 'aggressive behaviour'". The New York Times. 27 April 2025.
- ^ Skelton, Jack (27 April 2025). "Rudiger apologises for throwing object at referee". BBC Sport.
- ^ Corrigan, Dermot (27 April 2025). "How 48 hours of rage and recrimination overshadowed the Copa del Rey final". The New York Times.