Seville: Rodrygo scored twice to lead Real Madrid to its first Copa del Rey title in nearly a decade after overcoming Osasuna 2-1 in the final.
Rodrygo was set up by fellow Brazil forward Vinícius Júnior to give Madrid the lead just two minutes after kick-off at La Cartuja Stadium.
Osasuna’s Lucas Torró equalized in the 58th, but Rodrygo put Madrid back ahead for good in the 70th.
With the Spanish Cup in hand, Madrid will host Manchester City Tuesday in the opening match of their Champions League semifinal.
Since winning its last Copa del Rey in 2014, the 14-time European Cup winner had won four Champions Leagues while falling short in the Spanish Cup.
That changed Saturday when it defeated an Osasuna that was seeking its first major title in club history after also losing it’s only other Copa del Rey final in 2005. Madrid has 20 Copa del Rey titles, behind only Barcelona (31) and Athletic Bilbao (23).
Now it can seek a cup double if it can get past City for a second straight season and successfully defend its continental title.
“We had been talking all week about how it had been a long time since Real Madrid had won this title,” Rodrygo said. “I really wanted to win this title since it was this that was the only (club) title I was missing.”
Just 22 years old, Rodrygo, like many of his teammates, has completed their collection of club titles after having already won the Champions League, Spanish League, Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup.
Captain Karim Benzema received the cup from Spain’s King Felipe VI, who attended the coronation of King Charles III.
Rodrygo was key to Madrid’s run to its record-extending 14th European Cup last season. And against Osasuna he proved clutch in yet another big match, especially when cued by countryman Vinícius.
Vinícius dribbled past both Jon Moncayola and Rubén Peña before slipping the ball past three other defenders to find Rodrygo in the middle of the area to score the early opener.
Vinícius continued to escape his markers and Moncayola, a midfielder converted into a left-back, soon got a yellow card for pulling him down from behind.
“It is very tough to defend Vinícius as City will see on Tuesday,” said Osasuna coach Jagoba Arrasate, who wept after the final whistle from what he said was the “built-up tension.”
But Osasuna, a modest club from Pamplona in northern Spain, had its chances, too.
Abde Ezzalzouli came close to leveling in the 26th when he broke past the defense and chipped goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, only for Dani Carvajal to rush back and clear to safety.
The action didn’t stop as David Alaba surprised with a long free kick that rattled the crossbar in the 28th.
The vibrant start unfortunately was cut short when tempers flared mostly between Vinícius and a couple of Osasuna players after run-ins. The referee booked Vinícius apparently for protesting. The tempers spilled over into halftime when Vinícius and Osasuna reserve Chimy Ávila were separated by teammates as they went through the tunnel to the changing rooms.
Osasuna started better in the second half and its insistence paid off when a cross from Abde was deflected by Carvajal and fell to Torró arriving unmarked at the top of the area. The midfielder could not have picked a better time of the season to score his first goal when he lashed a right-footed shot into the lower corner of Courtois’ net.
“We were right there in it in the second half,” Torró said. “We just didn’t know how to hang in there. Their second goal really hurt. We made a silly mistake (on their first goal) but we didn’t give up and gave Real Madrid a fight. I am proud of my team.”
Play was paused briefly after Torró’s goal when a flare was lit in a section packed with Osasuna’s thrilled fans.
Rodrygo struck again after another run by Vinícius down the left side. Toni Kroos’ deflected shot was not cleared by Osasuna and Rodrygo once again knew just where to be to put it past Herrera a second time. It was his 16th goal of the season.
It was Madrid’s third title of the season after it had won the Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. It lost the Spanish Super Cup final to Barcelona and is in third place in the Spanish league with almost no chance of catching runaway leader Barcelona.
AP