Kounde 8.5, Lamine 8.5 | Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid: Player ratings | OneFootball

Barcelona and Real Madrid locked horns in the most tightly contested El Clasico of the season last night in the final of the Copa del Rey.

After the events of the previous night where Real Madrid asked for a change in referee, Barcelona opened the game with better purpose and opened the scoring through Pedri midway through the first period.

The Catalans’ dominance continued through the first half and saw them create a couple of chances that they let pass.

Real Madrid, however, came back into the game with more purpose after the break and dominated Barcelona completely. Kylian Mbappe levelled the score with a direct free-kick before Aurelien Tchouameni headed the team into the lead.

Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres helped Barcelona get back into the game with a great goal and levelled the score at 2-2 in the cup final late on.

After a last minute penalty was denied for Flick’s men, the game entered extra-time where both sides had their moments. In the end, Jules Kounde buried a winner and gave Barcelona the Copa del Rey title.

Barça Universal brings you the player ratings from Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid.

Wojciech Szczesny: 8

Barcelona’s goalkeeper had barely any shots to save in the first half, especially with Real Madrid continually struggling with Barça’s offside trap.

Entered an ugly challenge on Vinicius Jr with Martinez late in the first period but had the penalty overturned for offside. Made a sensational double save to deny Real Madrid early in the second half.

Gerard Martin: 6.5

The young left-back started the game with big shoes to fill but did decently in defence to keep Rodrygo in check.

Was constantly involved in the buildup phase as Barcelona often built up the left flank.

Inigo Martinez: 7.5

Inigo Martinez was a warrior in defence. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Was lucky to get away from gifting Real Madrid a penalty through a tight offside but was great apart from that one misjudgement.

Inigo excelled with his distribution on the night and was critical to Barcelona’s buildup-up play while also holding up the offside trap to perfection.

Pau Cubarsi: 7

Barcelona’s opening goal would not have arrived without Cubarsi’s vital interception that cut off a lethal Real Madrid counter and converted it into a Barça attack.

Was more alert than he has looked in recent games, held his ground and line well and did not make any distribution errors against a tricky opposition.

Jules Kounde: 8.5

A winning goal to remember for a lifetime. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

The Frenchman did well to keep Vinicius Jr in check out on the right flank but did not quite contribute as much as he usually does in the final third.

With Barcelona focusing buildups more through channels on the left, Kounde took a more defence-intensive role and did largely well in it.

Scored a stunning winner from distance, putting the ball out of Courtois’ reach with a bullet of a strike.

Frenkie de Jong: 7

The Dutchman silently had a great game, controlling the midfield alongside Pedri and putting in a great shift off the ball in the middle of the park.

His distribution was largely on point and he often looked to progress the ball vertically with some much-needed directness. Unnecessarily gave away a free-kick that Kylian Mbappe converted.

Pedri: 7

Pedri and Lamine celebrate after the opener. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Pedri Gonzalez could not have chosen a better night to get a rare goal as he struck gold from outside the box to leave Thibaut Courtois with no chance of stopping his shot.

Helped the team take the much-needed lead at La Cartuja but did not control the game like he usually does. Was sloppy on the ball and with his distribution.

Dani Olmo: 6.5

Olmo started as Barcelona’s mediapunta on the night in what happens to be his first start in El Clasico.

While he did live up to his tag as a creator of chaos in the final third, he was slightly off-colour and did not quite bring his finesse touch. Olmo did get the ball in tight spaces but found it difficult to wriggle out and link up.

Lamine Yamal: 8.5

Lamine Yamal was relatively silent in the first half, especially with Barcelona lacking a striker and not building up as much as expected on his flank.

Yet, he was a serious threat to Fran Garcia on the wing and even earned the assist for Pedri’s opener with a great selection of pass.

Earned a second assist out of absolutely nothing as he lobbed the ball into Torres’ path to set him free on goal for the equaliser.

Raphinha: 5

The Brazilian star had a very silent first half where he made barely any attacking forays or runs behind the defence. Needless to say, Alejandro Balde’s absence hurt his dominance of the wing seriously.

Scuffed two massive chances after the break with poor strikes that did not hit the target. Won a late penalty in the last minute of the game but bafflingly had it ruled out.

Ferran Torres: 7

The Shark scored the crucial equaliser. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Torres did well with his runs behind the defence but lacked the usual physicality and finisher’s aura that Robert Lewandowski brings to the game.

Did well to contribute to the team’s pressing structure but did not get away from the Real Madrid defence as often as Hansi Flick would have hoped.

Scored Barcelona’s equaliser late in the game with a calm finish taking the ball around Thibaut Courtois.