Following FC Barcelona`s dramatic 3-2 extra-time win against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, attention now turns to the consequences for both Spanish giants. At Real Madrid, the defeat intensifies scrutiny on Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti. Despite a successful tenure yielding 15 trophies, Ancelotti`s position appears increasingly precarious, especially as the club faces the possibility of finishing the 2024-25 season without silverware. This could prompt club president Florentino Perez to seek a new coach in the summer. The Copa del Rey final offered several key takeaways:
Hansi Flick`s Impressive Beginning at Barcelona
FC Barcelona, in stark contrast, is highly satisfied with its decision in the summer of 2024 to appoint former Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick to lead a new era. In his debut season, Flick has already secured two major trophies for the Blaugrana, guiding them to victories in the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey, both won against Real Madrid in the finals. Furthermore, Barcelona currently holds a four-point lead over Real Madrid in the La Liga standings. The two rivals are set to clash again in Barcelona on May 11 in a match anticipated to be highly charged. Additionally, Barcelona will host Inter Milan on Wednesday for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinals. Flick has the potential to emulate Pep Guardiola by becoming only the second manager to achieve the treble twice with different clubs, following Guardiola`s success with Barcelona in 2009 and Manchester City in 2023.
Pre-Match Referee Controversy
The build-up to the Copa del Rey final was marked by controversy surrounding the officials. According to reports, Real Madrid canceled their open training, press conference, and team dinner the day before the match and formally requested a change in the appointed referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, and VAR official Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes. The referee publicly addressed the abuse he had been receiving for his appointment, including criticism from Real Madrid`s own media channels, recounting how children at his child`s school had echoed their parents` accusations of him being a `thief`. Real Madrid subsequently issued an official statement reiterating their call for the referee`s replacement before the game.
During the final itself, the referee generally maintained composure and controlled the game well for extended periods. However, a notable incident occurred just before extra time when Bengoetxea initially awarded a penalty to Barcelona for a foul by Raul Asencio on Raphinha, only for VAR intervention to overturn the decision. Calmness seemed to return, but in the final moments of extra time, shortly after Jules Kounde scored the decisive goal, Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger appeared to throw an object towards the referee and was shown a red card, despite having been substituted earlier by Ancelotti. When questioned after the match, Ancelotti declined to comment on the refereeing.
Is Ancelotti`s Reign Ending?
The Copa del Rey final loss has significantly amplified the questions surrounding Carlo Ancelotti`s future at Real Madrid. While the Italian coach remained tight-lipped post-match, reports persist regarding interest from the Brazilian national team in appointing him as their new manager. Despite Real Madrid`s continued presence in the La Liga title race, the four-point deficit behind Barcelona is substantial. Should this prove to be the end of Ancelotti`s spell, and potentially a trophyless conclusion to the season, it would bring a highly successful era, marked by two Champions League titles and 15 trophies in total, to a close. Florentino Perez`s ultimate decision remains uncertain, but there is an increasing sentiment that Ancelotti`s cycle at the club may indeed be concluding.
