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Real Madrid had a decent start to their season. After fumbling with a few games in the mid-season they have yet again proved that they have the fire burning in them to win more and more silverware. Barcelona on the other end have been a little disappointing this season.
While the Blaugrana had a very good start at the season, they have been a little out of form from the last three games. This is the third consecutive defeat that they have faced in this month. After bowing out of the Champions League, they lost the Copa del Rey final to their arch rivals Real Madrid 2-1.
Messi, who had been out of games for Barcelona in the beginning of the season was a key player as his hat-trick earned them their 4-3 victory against Real Madrid earlier this season. However, this time even he couldn’t win the game for Barcelona.
After getting a perfect equalizer from a corner, Barcelona looked strong enough to keep Real Madrid at bay for a long time. But, in the end it was a fantastic display from Gareth Bale who dribbled the ball superbly into the Barcelona defense to end up a fantastic finish that sealed Los Blancos their highly deserved victory.
Di Maria, who has proved to be a valuable asset for The Whites opened the scoring for Real Madrid. Bale, who had been under-performing in the previous two clashes, proved that he is still they key to Real’s victory in their talisman Ronaldo’s absence.
It was a stunning performance from both the teams but it was Real who edged out Barcelona in the final. Barcelona seems to have a very disappointing end to the season as even the La Liga title seems to ebb away from their hands. Just like the previous games, Barcelona seems to have lost their defensive capabilities and give a lot of space for the opposition to attack.
Martino seems to have disappointed the Barcelona fans as rumours of his replacement are often heard.
The highest disappointment for Barcelona fans would be the lack of impact from Neymar, as he is struggling with his form while not performing in high-voltage games. His diving habit has irritated a lot of Barca fans and he seems to have lost the charm that helped Barcelona win games previously this season.
Conclusion:
It was a bad day yet again for Barcelona as their third defeat must have been really disappointing for them. Even after dominating games with possessions they have failed to create any impact on the game. Have it not been Bartra’s equalizer, they would have lost the game 2-0. Messi and Neymar, both failed to dominate the game even though they had a few decent chances of scoring.
A great day for celebration as Real Madrid would be delightful to win the Copa del Rey. Gareth Bale wins his first cup with Real Madrid and indeed he worked hard to maintain the price tag hanging over him. Real Madrid proved that their victories don’t only come when their star man Cristiano Ronaldo is playing for them. It was a fantastic display of skill and technique from the Los Blancos that earned them a deserving victory.
