A tenacious Barcelona pissed off Actual Madrid to safe a 1-0 win over their bitter rivals in an ill-tempered Copa del Rey semi-final first leg on Thursday.
The guests defended fantastically after Actual centre again Eder Militao scored an personal objective within the first half, managing to beat the lack of key gamers like Robert Lewandowski, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele who missed the sport as a result of accidents.
Barca earned a much-needed win after arriving within the Spanish capital below strain having been knocked out of the Europa League and dropping at lowly Almeria to halt a seven-game successful streak in LaLiga.
“We’d have preferred to have the ball extra, to manage de sport somewhat extra however we fought laborious and competed in a excessive degree. That they had the ball however didn’t create many possibilities. We received the benefit for the second leg and that’s actually essential,” Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets informed TVE.
Actual Madrid began higher and dominated the primary quarter-hour, however Barcelona began to show issues round as they took management the midfield and their defensive sport plan labored brilliantly.
Barca centre again Ronald Araujo did an incredible job at proper again to neutralise the specter of the harmful Vinicius Jr. and Karim Benzema was left alone up entrance.
Actual turned pissed off and tempers flared earlier than the hosts made the essential mistake which gave Barca the winner.
Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga gifted a again cross to Ferran Torres who reacted rapidly to slip the ball to Franck Kessie.
His point-blank strike was saved however bounced off Militao and into the online.
The assistant referee signalled offside however the VAR replay confirmed Kessie was fractionally onside and the objective stood.
Barcelona locked Actual Madrid into an excellent tighter scenario in the course of the second half and though the hosts dominated possession, they not often threatened to equalise.
Actual didn’t file a single shot on track regardless of having virtually 70% of possession within the second half and Barca ought to have prolonged their lead within the 71st minute when a Kessie shot that beat the goalkeeper was blocked by Ansu Fati.
Substitute Rodrygo had Actual’s finest probability with a late long-range strike that flew narrowly vast of the publish.
The groups meet once more in Barcelona on April 5 with the winners to face Athletic Bilbao or Osasuna within the last.
This story has been revealed from a wire company feed with out modifications to the textual content. Solely the headline has been modified.