Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid CF beat FC Barcelona 3-1 at the Camp Nou to reach the Copa del Rey final.
Real Madrid CF made amends for their Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals last season by triumphing 3-1 at the Camp Nou to progress to a record 38th final by a 4-2 aggregate scoreline.
Lionel Messi fired just wide early on as the home side started brightly but they were caught out on the counterattack after 13 minutes. Gerard Piqué felled Cristiano Ronaldo as he surged into the box and the Portuguese made no mistake from the penalty spot to become the first player to score in six successive Clásicos away from home.
Messi went agonisingly close again with a low free-kick and Barça continued their concerted response after the interval, though Fábio Coentrão forced José Manuel Pinto into action as Madrid continued to threaten on the break. That counterattacking ability eventually proved decisive as Ronaldo fired in (57) after Pinto had repelled Ángel Di María’s effort.
The Meringues did not stop there as Raphaël Varane (68) rose highest to head Mesut Özil’s corner in off the bar with Barcelona only having a last-minute Jordi Alba goal to show for their toil. José Mourinho’s charges will face either Club Atlético de Madrid or Sevilla FC in the 18 May showpiece, with the capital club leading 2-1 ahead of the return on Wednesday.
