Karim Benzema became the first Real Madrid player since the legendary Ferenc Puskas to score a hat trick at the Nou Camp as Carlo Ancelotti’s men stunned Barcelona 4-0 to advance to the final of the Copa del Rey.
Barca lead 1-0 from the first leg at the Bernabeu and started pretty well in the first half here. However, the game turned in a 20 second period just before half time- Robert Lewandowski had his shot brilliantly saved by Thibault Courtois at one end and Madrid punished the hosts on the counter at the other, with Vinicius Jr. finding the back of the net.
Benzema’s sublime finish made it 2-0 early in the second half and a clumsy foul from Franck Kessie on Vinicius allowed the French striker to make it 3-0 from the spot as he sent Ter Stegen the wrong way. He completed his hat trick in the 80th minute, leaving the 95,000 odd supporters at the Nou Camp absolutely stunned.
Real are now through to their first Spanish Cup final since 2014, and will face Osasuna in Seville next month. The Navarrese outfit beat Athletic Bilbao in extra time in the other semi-final.
