Barcelona 1 Real Madrid 3 (Agg 2-4)
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo
made the perfect response to those who say Leo Messi is the world’s best
player by scoring two goals and inspiring his side to a shock Copa Del
Rey semi-final win over Barcelona.
And
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was at the Nou Camp to see
Jose Mourinho’s side win a two-leg cup-tie after drawing the home leg
1-1 — much as Real hope to do in the Champions League at Old Trafford
next Tuesday.
This was Mourinho’s greatest night at Barcelona since his Inter Milan reached the Champions League final with 10 men.
And in the match when the absence of
ex-Barca boss Pep Guardiola and his successor Tito Vilanova really
started to show, Ronaldo was imperious.
He raced away on 15 minutes to draw a
foul from Gerard Pique inside the area, then picked himself up and put
the penalty past Manuel Pinto to become the first player ever to score
in six consecutive away Clasicos.
In the second half, with stunned
Barcelona chasing the game, Angel Di Maria sped past Carles Puyol in
another lightning counter attack and when he squared to Ronaldo, the
former Manchester United striker scored again — the first player to
score doubles in consecutive Clasicos away from home.
In contrast, Messi, who went into the
game looking for his 50th goal of the season, cut a forlorn figure as
Barcelona repeated the same starting 10 outfield players as they had
against AC Milan and delivered a similar lacklustre
Messi was frustrated by the brilliant
young French defender Raphael Varane, and it was the 19-year-old who
headed in the third. Varane’s goal — a carbon copy of his first-leg
equaliser — brought the most emotional of responses from Mourinho, who
embraced the centre-back on the touchline and was in turn mobbed by most
of his players as Madrid celebrated a home humiliation for Barcelona.
Jordi Alba scored a late consolation
goal, running on to an excellent pass from Andres Iniesta, but it did
little to take the shine off Madrid’s win.
Mourinho sent Iker Casillas out to face the media on the final whistle and he urged Real Madrid to ensure Ronaldo stayed.
Speculation is linking the player with
a return to England, as neither he nor the club seem to be interested
in a contract extension on his deal which runs out in 2015, and Casillas
said: ‘He is our most important player in these big games.
‘He was not just superb tonight, but he has been in the other clasicos. He is vital for us.’
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