Did Kounde Secure the Copa del Rey for Barca in a Last-Minute Thriller?

Seville (Spain), April 27 (NationPress) Jules Kounde netted a decisive goal in the 116th minute, securing a thrilling 3-2 victory for FC Barcelona against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday night.

Kounde swiftly capitalized on a pass from Luka Modric in the Madrid half. With the match heading towards penalties, he struck the ball past Thibaut Courtois, marking the 32nd cup triumph in Barcelona's history.

The lead-up to the match was marred by controversy, as Real Madrid TV aired a video criticizing referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. He expressed his emotional turmoil during a press conference, revealing the pressure's impact on his family, according to reports from Xinhua.

Real Madrid demanded that the referee be replaced, even considering a boycott of the final.

The game began on a sour note for Madrid when Ferland Mendy was forced to exit due to a groin injury after just 10 minutes, replaced by Fran Garcia. Lamine Yamal seized the opportunity, darting past Garcia but failing to find the net.

Thibaut Courtois saved a header from Kounde, while Kounde himself blocked a shot from Garcia.

Real Madrid attempted to restrict Barcelona's movement, with Antonio Rudiger and Raul Asencio narrowly avoiding bookings for their challenges. Barcelona finally broke the deadlock in the 28th minute.

Yamal found space and delivered a precise pass to Pedri, who skillfully placed the ball past Courtois into the net's corner.

Madrid responded by pushing forward, with Bellingham having a goal disallowed for offside.

Just before halftime, a corner from Dani Olmo nearly doubled Barcelona's lead but struck the inside of the post.

In the second half, Madrid's coach Carlo Ancelotti made bold substitutions, introducing Mbappe along with Arda Guler and Luka Modric. The energized Madrid side posed significant challenges for Barcelona.

Mbappe forced a remarkable save from Wojciech Szczesny, who thwarted Vinicius twice.

With 20 minutes remaining, Mbappe leveled the score with a free kick from just outside the area.

Seven minutes later, Madrid took the lead when Aurelien Tchouameni scored with a powerful header following a series of corners.

As the title seemed destined for Madrid, Barcelona found an equalizer when Yamal's ball over the defense caught Courtois out of position, allowing Ferran Torres to score from a tight angle.

Barcelona had two penalty appeals denied in injury time, with VAR overturning a decision in the 96th minute when Raphinha went down under Asencio's challenge.

This led to extra time, where Kounde's influence became crucial amidst rising tensions, including an incident where Rudiger appeared to throw a bottle at the referee in protest over a late decision.