Real Madrid claimed a dramatic 5-2 victory over Celta Vigo in extra time during the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, bouncing back from a recent setback against Barcelona. This latest win at the Santiago Bernabeu came just days after their 5-2 defeat in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Endrick played a crucial role in the triumph, scoring two goals in the extra period. Alongside him, Federico Valverde contributed with another important goal, propelling Madrid into the quarterfinals. Despite starting strong with a 2-0 lead in regular time, Madrid faced a challenge when Celta equalized in the latter part of the game, leading to the need for extra time.
Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior both found the net in their respective halves for Madrid, but Celta Vigo made a strong comeback with Jonathan Bamba scoring in the 83rd minute and Marcos Alonso converting a penalty kick in stoppage time, leveling the score at 2-2.
The young star Endrick, who was substituted in during the 79th minute, broke the deadlock with a stunning shot from outside the box in the 108th minute, followed by a clever back-heel flick to secure the win in the 119th minute after Valverde had extended the lead. Expressing his joy, Endrick celebrated vigorously, emphasizing the team’s resilient spirit: “It was tough, but with Madrid it’s always like this, we keep fighting until the end and we come out on top.”
Real Madrid was eager to secure a comprehensive win to move past the painful loss against Barcelona. Under the leadership of coach Carlo Ancelotti, the team aims to maintain its pursuit of Atlético Madrid, who sit atop the Spanish league, while also working to improve their standing in the Champions League.
The match marked the beginning of a busy home stretch for Madrid, who will host Las Palmas in La Liga on Sunday, followed by a Champions League clash with Salzburg the following Wednesday.
Mbappé’s opener came in the 37th minute as he intercepted the ball before the midfield line, sprinting into the Celta area to score with a left-footed shot. Meanwhile, Vinícius scored his first goal in five matches shortly after the break. However, Madrid’s shaky defense led to Celta’s comeback, as Bamba capitalized on a mistake from Eduardo Camavinga and Alonso netted the equalizer from the penalty spot after Bamba was fouled.
Endrick’s emergence has been notable since joining Madrid, even though he has seen limited playing time lately. His commitment to the team was clear when he stated, “(Ancelotti) knows what he’s doing. He doesn’t have to do what’s best for Endrick, he has to do what’s best for the team.”
In another Copa del Rey match, defending champions Athletic Bilbao faced a tough defeat at home against Osasuna, who rallied to secure a 3-2 win after initially falling behind by two goals. The visitors scored first and even after Bilbao equalized, Budimir’s winning goal sealed Osasuna’s advancement, reminiscent of their previous elimination of Athletic in the semifinals two years prior.
Also on Thursday, Real Sociedad progressed with a 3-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano. Earlier in the week, Barcelona showcased their strength with a 5-1 triumph over Real Betis, while Atlético Madrid overshadowed Elche with a convincing 4-0 win. Additionally, Getafe and Leganes secured their spots in the next round with wins over Pontevedra and Almeria, respectively.
