Spanish Cup: Real Madrid finish off Real Sociedad in thriller to reach Copa del Rey final

MADRID: Real Madrid overturned a two-goal deficit against Real Sociedad to reach the Copa del Rey final after an extra-time header by substitute Antonio Ruediger secured a barnstorming 4-4 draw on Tuesday for a 5-4 aggregate win.

The visitors gave Real Madrid a scare as they grabbed the lead through Ander Barrenetxea in the 16th minute but a lovely dinked effort by Endrick levelled the score 15 minutes later.

Following a 1-0 win in the first-leg, Carlo Ancelotti’s side looked comfortable, with a draw securing them a place in the final.

But strikes by Pablo Marin and Mikel Oyarzabal, which both deflected in off David Alaba, gave Real Sociedad a two-goal lead by the 80th minute.

However, Real hit right back two minutes later as Jude Bellingham fired home a first-time effort from close-range, with Aurelien Tchouameni heading the equaliser from a Rodrygo corner four minutes later.

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But Alaba’s woeful night was not over yet as he failed to clear a corner and Oyarzabal was left unmarked to head the Basque side’s fourth goal three minutes into added time, taking the match to extra time.

Real booked their place in the final when substitute Arda Guler lifted a corner to Ruediger, who headed the equaliser that put Real Madrid through on aggregate.

Real Madrid, who have won the Spanish Cup only once in over a decade, will play either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid in a mouth-watering final in Seville next month.

Atletico fought back to hold Barca to a thrilling 4-4 draw ahead of Wednesday’s second-leg in Madrid.

“I don’t know how to describe how I feel,” Tchouameni told Real Madrid TV.

“Yes, we are happy, because we are going to play a final, but as far as the match is concerned… we can’t be happy with that.

“We gave everything until the end, we knew we had top players on the bench, so we would have chances, but we have to play better than we did today…”

Real manager Carlo Ancelotti rested star striker Kylian Mbappe, giving teenager Endrick a start up-front and the 18-year-old Brazilian almost found the net early on with a stunning bicycle kick that went just wide.

But it was Barrenetxea who opened the scoring with a great run in behind Lucas Vazquez in the 16th minute, firing a close-range shot under keeper Andriy Lunin’s legs.

Real hit back in the 30th minute when Vinicius Jr hit a brilliant long pass through the middle with the outside of his foot that Endrick took in his stride before chipping a cheeky finish over Alex Remiro into the back of the net.

Real wasted several chances to take the lead but were stunned when Marin made a great run before firing a low strike that defender Alaba deflected into his own goal.

Eight minutes later Takefusa Kubo played the ball to Oyarzabal, whose strike from inside the box again deflected off Alaba before finding the back of the net.

Bellingham and Tchouameni put Real back in control within four minutes but Oyarzabal’s added time header silenced the Bernabeu crowd and took the game to extra-time.

Yet Ruediger, who had come off the bench to replace Alaba a few minutes earlier, headed the equaliser that sent them through.