Gareth Bale paid back all of his world record transfer fee with one lung-busting, Spanish Cup-winning, wonder goal. It was his 20th for Real Madrid, his first against Barcelona. The match had been dubbed the game of his life and he produced the goal of his career to settle it.
There were shades of taxi for Maicon in the San Siro when he picked the ball up on the half-way line and steamed down the left. Bartra barged him off the pitch but he still went past the young defender, cut into the area and shot past Jose Pinto.
The Madrd bench erupted with substitutes and technical staff on the pitch and the white half of Valencia’s Mestalla stadium got to their feet with the game all but won.
Roar of delight: Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring a late winner for Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final
Stunner: Bale caps a sensational run by slotting the ball through the legs of Barca keeper Jose Manuel Pinto
Magical: Bale jumps in the air as he celebrates his late winner at a packed Mestalla stadium in Valencia
Frustrations: Lionel Messi reacts as Barcelona suffer defeat to rivals Real Madrid in Valencia
MATCH FACTS
Barcelona: Pinto, Bartra (Alexis 86), Alba (Adriano 46), Alves, Fabregas (Pedro 60), Xavi, Iniesta, Mascherano, Busquets, Messi, Neymar
Subs not used: Oier, Puyol, Song, Roberto
Goal: Bartra 68
Bookings: Neymar, Mascherano
Real Madrid: Casillas, Pepe, Ramos, Coentrao, Carvajal, Bale, Alonso, Modric, Di Maria (Illarramendi 86), Isco (Casemiro 88), Benzema (Varane 90)
Subs not used: Diego Lopez, Fernandez, Morata, Jose
Goals: Di Maria 11, Bale 85
Bookings: Pepe, Isco, Alonso
There was still time for Neymar’s
shot to hit the post at the other end and roll back into Iker Casillas
arms but it was Madrid and Bale’s night. He had won the battle of last
summer’s big signings and his first trophy in Spain.
Bale started strongly as did Madrid. He was released by Isco and sent an angled shot just wide of Jose Pinto’s goal.
Iniesta
carried the greatest threat for Barcelona going down under Carvajal’s
challenge. The young right-back had got a foot to the ball and referee
Antonio Lahoz ignored penalty appeals.
Bale
forced a corner off of Mascherano when fed by Benzmea as Madrid pressed
again. His ability to take full advantage of the space left by Dani
Alves was an early tactic and on 10 minutes it paid off.
Isco robbed
the Brazilian high up the pitch and released Benzema. He fed Bale and
the Welshman’s cross was controlled by Di Maria. The Argentine looked
level with the last defender, the flag stayed down, and although Pinto
got a hand to his shot he failed to keep it out.
Would
Valdes have saved it? Would a defence marshalled by the injured Gerard
Pique have allowed Real Madrid to carve Barcelona’s defence open in just
three passes? Probably not. Carlo Anclelotti’s team had hit their
rivals where they were most vulnerable.
Having taken the lead Real Madrid retreated and Barcelona took the initiative.
Delight: Bale wheels away in celebration as a dejected Javier Mascherano and Adriano look on
Hugs: Bale is congratulated by Real Madrid team-mate Xabi Alonso after scoring the winner
Hugs: Bale is congratulated by Real Madrid team-mate Xabi Alonso after scoring the winner
No stopping: Di Maria scores the opening goal after 10 minutes as Jordi Alba fails to intercept
Rising high: Barcelona defender Marc Bartra guides his header into the net for the equaliser
Get in: Bartra celebrates after pulling Barcelona level with Real Madrid in the 68th minute
Neymar
backed into Pepe in the area and Coentrao acused the Brazilian of
trying to con the referee. Both players deserved to be booked but it
was Pepe and not Coentrao who went into the referee’s book from the
Madrid side after he intervened in the dispute.
Bale
went on another diagonal run across the face of the goal but this time
pulled the ball back to Di Maria and the move was snuffed out.
For
Barcelona where there was Iniesta there was hope. He threaded a pass
through to Fabregas but the former Arsenal player overhit his pass and
no-one reached it at the back post.
Iniesta’s
magic apart, Barcelona were hitting too many long balls forward and
Messi was struggling to get involved. Barcelona dominated possession but
the passes went in straight lines not the defence-unlocking diagonals
of old. And worst of all for Barcelona, Neymar showboated down the right
when most Barcelona supporters feel he should be working down the left.
At the other end Real
Madrid were missing Ronaldo on the break. Again they raced away but
there was no finish. This time it was Di Maia sending Benzema clear but
his cross failed to clear the first man and did not reach Bale.
Effort: Real Madrid's Gareth Bale shoots towards goal under a challenge by Javier Mascherano
Be quiet: Bartra argues with referee Mateu Lahoz (right) who makes his feelings obvious
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Next it was Isco’s turn to get the pass wrong as he was found by Benzema but failed to find Bale. It was Barça’s domination of the ball and Madrid’s lightning breaks, as if Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola were still in the respective dug-outs.
Bale
had the first chance of the second half breaking between two Barcelona
defenders but shooting wide. And Messi then had his first free-kick
opportunity at the other end but sent the shot high over Casillas’ goal.
Bale then fired just over from the edge of the area. He was edging
closer and closer to his first goal against Barcelona.
For
another former Premier League player things were going less well.
Fabregas spun dramatically in the penalty area and looked up at referee
Lahoz but he was told to get up by both the match official and defender
Ramos who had been nearest to him when he went to ground. It was his
last contribution as Gerard Martino replaced him with Pedro.
Campeones: Real Madrid supporters celebrate as their team wins the Copa del Rey at the Mestalla stadium
Missing out: Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Marcelo watch from the stands as their team wins
Full house: The Mestalla is packed as Barcelona fans cheer on their team during the warm-up
The
pattern of the second half followed the first with Barcelona camping in
ever greater numbers in Madrid’s penalty area but with Isco always
ready to steal possession and Bale, Benzema and Di Maria quicker out of
the blocks on the break a second goal from Madrid looked likely. But the
game then turned on two headers. First Bale scored at the back post but
the goal was ruled out for a foul on the keeper. The decision looked
harsh and from Barcelona’s next attack they won a corner which Xavi
planted on Bartra’s head and he powered it between Casillas and his
left-hand upright. It was the most un-Barça of goals.
Bale
responded immediately drawing another save from Pinto with a well
struck shot having again stretched Barcelona down the left. And he
should have been played in by Di Maria who instead blasted selfishly
over as Real launched another counter attack.
Pepe lunged in on Neymar appearing to get the ball and man as the game looked to be running into extra time. But Bale’s hadn’t finished.
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