SEVILLE, Spain (AP) 鈥 Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-2 in extra time to claim a record-extending 32nd Copa del Rey title on Saturday and launch its bid for a treble.
Pedri Gonz谩lez scored from long range to give Barcelona the lead in the 28th minute at La Cartuja Stadium.
Kylian Mbapp茅 came off the bench at halftime and scored from a free kick for Real Madrid in the 70th. Midfielder Aur茅lien Tchouam茅ni gave Madrid the lead with a header in the 77th.
But Ferran Torres leveled in the 84th and forced extra time.
Jules Kound茅 then pounced on a pass by Brahim D铆az and slotted a shot into the low corner of Thibaut Courtois鈥 net for the 116th-minute winner.
Barcelona will carry this momentum into Wednesday鈥檚 start of its Champions League semifinal series against Inter Milan. It also leads La Liga by four points over Madrid.
Barcelona has beaten Madrid in all three of the clasicos this season. They routed final in January after in the local league in October.
鈥淭his was such a physically demanding game, but we showed that we are a great team that never gives up,鈥 said Torres, who filled in perfectly for the injured Robert Lewandowski.
Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger was shown a red card by the referee in the final minute of extra time.
The loss to its fierce rival was another blow to Madrid after it was by Arsenal. This could have been its last title decider with Carlo Ancelotti in charge. The Italian coach said he will decide his future this summer amid speculation he is bound to take over Brazil.
King Felipe VI awarded the trophy to Barcelona, after the monarch flew back to Spain following his attendance at in the Vatican.
Barcelona dominates first half
One of the biggest rivalries in global soccer was again a tale of two halves 鈥 until Torres scored the late equalizer against the flow of play to renew Barcelona's prospects.
Barcelona dominated the first half as it kept the action in Madrid鈥檚 half thanks to its ball control and pressure defense that was quick to recover the ball.
The only semblance of a Madrid attack came when Jude Bellingham was able to spin away from his marker and beat Barcelona鈥檚 pressure defense.
But a Bellingham pass intercepted by Pau Cubars铆 cued Barcelona鈥檚 opener. Pedri lobbed forward for Yamal, breaking down the flank. The 17-year-old phenom 鈥 sporting a new dyed-blonde hairdo 鈥 threaded a pass back to the top of the box, where Pedri arrived to blast it home.
Raphinha went close to adding a second goal with some help by Rudiger when the Brazilian鈥檚 corker kick grazed the defender and hit the far post.
Mbapp茅 sparks Madrid fightback
Mbapp茅 started the game on the bench after injuring his ankle last week. But Ancelotti sent his striker on at halftime to replace Rodrygo. Luka Modric and playmaker Arda Guler soon followed.
The changes helped Madrid click, and the game became a back-and-forth contest with both teams creating scoring chances after Barcelona鈥檚 control was shattered.
Wojciech Szczesny had to protect Barcelona鈥檚 lead with three saves to deny Vin铆cius J煤nior and Mbapp茅. The goalkeeper could do nothing, however, to stop Mbappe after he earned a foul and fired a free kick low and just inside the post.
Tchouam茅ni rose up to head in a corner kick that Guler curled into to the edge of the six-yard box.
Barcelona finishes it off
Torres brought Barcelona back when Yamal put a long ball behind the defense and Courtois mistimed his run out to intercept it, leaving Torres with an open net.
Raphinha thought he had a penalty in the final minute of injury time after contact with Ra煤l Asencio. But the referee, who the day before the final denounced a campaign to discredit him by Real Madrid鈥檚 official club television, waived off his initial decision after consulting video.
With several players clearly exhausted in extra time the game appeared destined to finish in a penalty shootout. But that was when Kound茅 became the hero for the Catalan club.
___
AP soccer:
