Madrid Averted Upset with Late Goal from García, Advances to Copa Semifinals
In a thrilling encounter on Wednesday, Real Madrid edged past Leganes with a 3-2 victory, thanks to a last-minute goal from Gonzalo García, securing a spot in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey. The match was a rollercoaster, with Real Madrid initially establishing a two-goal advantage by halftime, courtesy of strikes from Luka Modric and Endrick. However, the home side made a determined comeback in the second half to level the score.
Gonzalo García, a 20-year-old forward who primarily plays for Madrid’s reserve team, emerged as the hero by netting the decisive header just three minutes into stoppage time, after being set up by Brahim Díaz’s perfect cross. “I’m thrilled, filled with emotions. It has been a dream since I was a child and since I joined the youth teams. I’m happy to have scored the goal that gave us a place in the semifinals,” García expressed. “It was a perfect cross by Brahim, and the ball went in by itself.”
This win was particularly significant for Madrid, who suffered a minor setback in the league with a 1-0 loss to Espanyol just days prior, marking their second defeat in 15 competitive matches this season. In last month’s Copa round of 16, they required extra time to defeat Celta Vigo at home, emphasizing the intensity of their cup campaign. “We suffered but we are in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey,” Madrid’s coach Carlo Ancelotti remarked. “We have to be satisfied with the outcome.”
The scoring began early in the match, with Modric finding the net in the 18th minute from close range, followed shortly by Endrick doubling the lead just seven minutes later with a clever finish after seizing on a loose ball. However, Leganes responded with resilience, as Juan Cruz converted a penalty in the 39th minute and later drew even with a goal that took a deflection off a defender in the 59th minute, compelling Madrid to dig deep.
In a bid to regain the lead, Madrid came close when Díaz’s clever flick sailed just over the goalkeeper, only to hit the crossbar in the 75th minute. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid had already secured its semifinal place on Tuesday by thrashing Getafe 5-0, with Giuliano Simeone scoring twice, marking a highlight for the young striker and son of coach Diego Simeone. The Copa quarterfinals are set to continue with Real Sociedad facing Osasuna and Barcelona going head-to-head against Valencia on Thursday.
Defensive issues plagued Madrid going into the match, as they were forced to play without key players Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba due to injuries, while Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal were sidelined with long-term issues. Ancelotti opted to field young defenders Jacobo Ramón and Raúl Asencio, and even moved midfielder Federico Valverde to right-back. Valverde celebrated his 200th win in 295 matches with Madrid, testament to his reliability.
The coach lauded the contributions of the younger players stepping up during challenging times, acknowledging that although they may lack experience, they have performed admirably. “The youngsters have been doing a very good job,” Ancelotti commented. “We know that we can count on them.”
As he sought to strike a balance, Ancelotti decided to rest some of his regular starters to prepare for the imminent league derby against Atletico Madrid, where Madrid currently sits just a point ahead at the top of the standings. Real Madrid looks to recapture the Copa, having last won the tournament in 2022-23, after a disappointing exit against Atletico in the round of 16 during the previous season.
Leganes, despite their valiant efforts, has not had a favorable run lately, remaining winless in their last three outings and currently occupying the 16th position in the Spanish league. Their last semifinal appearance in the Copa dates back to the 2017-18 season, where they were eliminated by Sevilla.
