Talking points: How Barcelona won the Copa del Rey

Sport360 staff 02:09 23/05/2016
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    • Alba (l) gave Barca the lead in extra-time.

    What did you make of the match and who was your standout performer from both sides?

    Share with us your thoughts by commenting below or using #360fans across social media.

    HOW THE CUP WAS WON

    The game lacked any real clear-cut chances for either side in a final that turned out to be more physical than attractive on the eye.

    It brought out a different Barcelona team to the one we’re used to seeing but when they finally broke the deadlock it was clinical.

    A goalless 90 minutes took the match to extra-time, seven minutes into which Jordi Alba burst forward from left-back to latch on to a sublime dink over the top from Lionel Messi before lashing home across goal.

    It was a more direct approach from Barca than their usual style but equally effective and ended up handing them a 1-0 win and the Copa del Rey trophy.

    Neymar added a second in the 123rd minute, the win already Barca’s by then but further gloss added by the Brazilian.

    SEEING RED

    It was a typically heated encounter between the two teams, both sets of players coming face-to-face on a number of occasions as tackles flew in.

    The referee had a difficult time of things and struggled to contain the players, brandishing no less than thirteen yellow cards and three reds in total.

    Javier Mascherano was the first player to be sent off, just 36 minutes in after denying Kevin Gameiro a goal-scoring opportunity…

    And late on in the 90 minutes of normal time Ever Banega was given his marching orders for a similar digression on Neymar…

    Then, deep into extra-time injury-time, Carrico Martins was given his marching orders for a second booking with the score still 1-0 but Barcelona on course for the victory.

    MAN OF THE MATCH – SERGIO RICO

    The Sevilla stopper was quite simply outstanding.

    He wasn’t tested too greatly in the ninety but did enough to keep the prolific MSN strikeforce at bay before excelling in extra-time.

    Rico could do little to deny Alba his goal but went on to make a series of stunning saves to deny an increasingly confident Barca that desperately looked to put the game to bed, which they eventually did but not until the dying moments and not before Rico showed his class.

    This one to thwart Dani Alves was a particular highlight.

    THE LASTING MEMORY

    Injured in the second-half with the scores level and dreams of Copa America glory fading from him, Luis Suarez was withdrawn from the action.

    He was devastated and the image of him crying on the bench will be an abiding memory from this final.

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