The players of Barcelona and Real Madrid have played four matches this season until tonight. Madrid won the first one, then Barcelona was better in the next three, and practically secured the title in the last one, played in mid-March.
But tonight, in the second leg of the King's Cup semi-final, everything was on the side of Carlo Ancelotti's company. Real came to the "Camp Nou" with a minus goal, maybe it wasn't even the favorite to celebrate, but it inflicted one of the heaviest defeats on a great rival in the "El Clasico".
The Merengues celebrated 4:0, another brilliant night was had by Karim Benzema, who scored a hat-trick, with an assist - the Frenchman served three goals to Barcelona, after a hat-trick in the previous round of La Liga against Valladolid, he continued the series and is in great form Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea. And when Benzema plays at the top level, then Real is unstoppable. After all, we saw what it looks like last season when the Frenchman practically single-handedly brought Real to the Champions League title.
The beginning of tonight's match did not foreshadow such an epilogue. Barca started strongly, immediately Gavi threatened from the left, and Rafinha also had a chance.
Real threatened in the 11th minute when Rodrigo crossed the ball from the right, and Arauho deflected the ball in front of Vinicius at the last minute.
In that part, Barca was better, more concrete, and then at the end of the first part there was a shock - Levandovski shot, Courtois made a great save and they started to counter. Vincius combined with Benzema, and after the assistance of the Frenchman scored a goal.
That goal completely changed the course of the game. In the second half, there was only one team on the field, and Benzema was pulling all the strings. Already in the 50th minute it was 2:0 - an excellent penetration by Modrić and an assist for Benzema, who was I'm 16 meters from the goal.
Eight minutes later, everything was resolved. Benzema is from the penalty spot scored the second goal of the match. Earlier, Cassie knocked Vinicius down.
Benzema put an end to the brilliant evening in the 81st minute. Vinicius pulled the counter, employed Benzema, who I was alone again.
Tonight, Benzema scored a hat-trick against Barcelona for the first time in Real Madrid. He played 43 matches and became the first player after Ferenc Puskas to score a hat-trick on Barca's pitch. The Hungarian succeeded in doing so in 1963.
And the last player, before Benzema, who scored three goals for Real in one match against Barcelona was Ivan Zamorano in 1995.
Real will play Osasuna in the final of the King's Cup, the first in nine years.
Bonus video:
