Real Madrid News
Watch: Gavi’s disrespectful gesture toward Real Madrid defender after Copa del Rey final
The Copa del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barcelona was an emotional rollercoaster, filled with drama, controversy, and tension.
Real Madrid, despite facing a series of challenges, fought hard until the very end, but ultimately, Barcelona emerged victorious with a 3-2 win.
Jules Kounde scored the decisive goal in extra time, but the game could have easily gone in another direction.
The match was heading toward a penalty shootout when a crucial mistake from Luka Modric and Brahim Diaz allowed Barcelona’s full-back to steal the ball and fire a powerful shot past Thibaut Courtois.
It was a moment of misfortune for Los Blancos, who had little time to recover. The tension on the pitch was palpable, and it seemed as though the match was slipping out of their grasp.
Gavi’s show of disrespect
The pressure mounted for Real Madrid, with players like Antonio Rudiger showing visible frustration from the bench. His outburst at the referee showed the emotions running high within the team.
Gavi representa lo más putrefacto del fútbol profesional
— LOCOS REAL MADRID (@LocosRealMadrid) April 27, 2025
Asencio te la tiene guardada chihuahuapic.twitter.com/rolhicuRSx
Despite the setback, Real Madrid did not give up. In fact, Carlo Ancelotti’s team displayed resilience in their reaction, even though it was clear that the early mistakes cost them dearly.
Barcelona, meanwhile, celebrated their second trophy of the season with Gavi at the forefront.
His unsportsmanlike behaviour toward Raul Asensio, after the final whistle, was a small moment of provocation, but it did not escalate into anything more significant. E
ndrick, witnessing the incident, approached his teammate to calm the situation, reminding everyone that the focus should remain on the game and not on any petty gestures.
While Barcelona celebrated their victory, Real Madrid’s players remained focused on what lies ahead. Despite the loss, the team showed determination, and their commitment to pushing forward remains absolute.
For now, the season is far from over, and the lessons learned in this final will undoubtedly fuel their drive for future success.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
