Benzema Hits HATTRICK Again, As Real Madrid Trash Barcelona To Reach Copa del Rey Final.

Real Madrid sealed their place in the final of the Copa del Rey after a sublime display at the Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday night.

Benzema became only the second Real Madrid player in history to score a hat-trick at the Camp Nou. Real icon Ferenc Puskas, did so first in 1963.

 

Los Blancos had to turn around a 0-1 defeat from the first-leg at the Santiago Bernabeu and they did so in style with a 4-0 win. 

Both teams come into the encounter off the back of big wins at the weekend, with Barcelona beating Elche 4-0 on Saturday and Real Madrid thrashing Real Valladolid 6-0 on Sunday.

The Blaugrana's injury list was a lengthy one with Andreas Christensen, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Ousmane Dembele all unavailable after being ruled out of the game due to their fitness issues. 

Barcelona had already defeated Real Madrid three consecutive times this season.

Real Madrid were without the injured Ferland Mendy, while Antonio Rudiger and Mariano Diaz traveled with the squad.

Ancelotti‘s men silenced the Catalan home crowd on the stroke of half time when Benzema cut the ball back for Vinicius Junior to stab in the opener via a deflection following a swift counterattack to level the scoreline 1-1 on aggregate. 

Despite a solid start by Xavi's men, Barça completely fell apart in a truly horrific second half display.

Madrid moved up a gear in the return from the break, playing like the true European and World champions, and Ballon d'Or winner Benzema struck his second hat-trick in the space of three days in this holy month of Ramadan period.

It was a ruthless performance from Karim Benzema as the Frenchman took centre stage and ensured a dominant El Clasico win.

Benzema made it 0-2 in the 49th minute with a low strike across the keeper from the edge of the box courtesy of a Luka Modric assist.

Eight minutes later the forward doubled his tally as he converted a penalty to put the Madridistas 3-0 up, after Vini Jr. had been tripped by Franck Kessié in the box.

In the 80th minute, the rout was complete for the visitors, as a sensational assist by Vini Jr. put Benzema through on goal and the striker calmy finished past Ter Stegen. 

The hattrick for Benzema rubbed salt in Barcelona wounds, as Los Blancos clinched a 4-1 success on aggregate.

Real Madrid will now battle it out with Osasuna in the final on Saturday, 6 May with the aim of lifting the club’s 20th Copa del Rey.

The 9th placed Osasuna side overcame Athletic Bilbao in their final four clash earlier this week.

It is a first Copa del Rey final for Madrid since 2014.

Next up, Real Madrid are at home to Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday evening while Barcelona host Girona on Monday night.

While Real remain 12 points behind their rivals in the La Liga table with just 11 games to go, they finally got one over on them this season.

Barcelona’s dreams of winning a domestic treble was destroyed by the defeat. With the Spanish Super Cup which they won for a record 14tg time after a 3-1 win over rivals Real Madrid in January already in the bag, they have a hand on the La Liga title, but failed to advance to the final of the Copa del Rey.

They have never won the domestic treble (Supercopa, Copa Del Rey & La Liga) in the same year, in the club's entire history.