Football
Barcelona Beat Real Madrid in First Leg of Copa del Rey Semi-Final
by privatebet.com - 2023/03/04
Barcelona entered the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final as an underdog following their recent back-to-back defeats, but they managed to pull an upset. Barcelona defeated Real Madrid thanks to Eder Militão’s own goal at the Bernabeu on Thursday night. The latest face-off between Barca and Real was one of the most disappointing in recent memory. Militão’s own goal was the only reason why Barcelona came on top, but that doesn’t change the fact that Madrid had more possession and chances throughout the match. To be fair, it wasn’t an easy game for Barca since they played without some of their key players, including Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, and Ousmane Dembele, who were all out due to injury. Their win might’ve been a happy accident, but their defensive play eventually put them over the finish line and helped them secure this victory. FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez entered the match knowing that Madrid will be the favorite and doubled down on that statement even after they managed to beat them. “The 1-0 win gives us a certain advantage. But we are going to have to compete very well against a very strong Real Madrid side. I still see Madrid as a favorite,” said Xavi. The second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final will take place on April 5, and the winner will face Athletic Bilbao or Osasuna in the final.