Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey final clash against Barcelona had all the ingredients of a classic showdown: pride, history, and silverware at stake. Except for the fact that Kylian Mbappe — the club’s top scorer and marquee star — had started the match on the bench. Thus, the reigning La Liga winner was forced to face Barcelona without its most lethal weapon on the field.
What followed revealed the tactical mind games of Carlo Ancelotti, a struggling Brazilian forward, and the brutal reality of high-stakes soccer.
The final itself was already complicated by major absences on both sides. Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, their leading scorer, was ruled out with a thigh injury, forcing Xavi to turn to Ferran Torres as a replacement in the attack. On Madrid’s side, the absence of Mbappe from the starting XI was initially chalked up to an unknown tactical decision.
Carlo Ancelotti opted to field a two-man attack featuring Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, reinforced by an extra midfielder in Dani Ceballos to solidify the center of the pitch.
As kickoff approached, there was little clarity. Mbappe had been racing against time to regain fitness after spraining his right ankle during Madrid’s Champions League quarterfinal loss to Arsenal. In the days leading up to the final, Ancelotti hinted at Mbappe’s availability but remained vague. “He could be available,” Ancelotti said midweek, adding that the forward “was doing everything to be ready to help the team.” Yet when it mattered, he wasn’t deemed fit enough to start.
What did Carlo Ancelotti say about Mbappe after Copa del Rey final?
It wasn’t until after the match that Carlo Ancelotti finally lifted the veil. Speaking candidly to reporters, the Italian explained his choice to bench the French superstar: “He wasn’t up to playing 90 minutes, and I preferred to have him in the second half when the rhythm of the game drops a bit,”the Italian boss revealed. “He played well and scored a goal.”
Mbappe’s fitness issues, combined with the calculated need for fresh firepower later in the game, drove Ancelotti’s decision. The plan was to unleash him when Barcelona’s energy flagged — a gamble that nearly paid off.
Adding more drama to the night, Rodrygo’s disastrous first half made Ancelotti’s halftime decision inevitable. The Brazilian winger was completely ineffective, with critics describing his performance as “lamentable” and “null”.
The Brazilian’s poor showing prompted Ancelotti to turn to Mbappe earlier than perhaps initially intended. The Frenchman entered at halftime to replace Rodrygo, instantly injecting pace, danger, and hope into Madrid’s sluggish attack.
Mbappe’s heroics almost turn the tide
Despite carrying the remnants of an ankle injury, Mbappe changed the match’s momentum. In the 70th minute, he earned and converted a free kick to level the score at 1-1, sparking roars from the Madrid faithful. Minutes later, Madrid even seized a 2-1 lead, seemingly on the verge of securing the Copa trophy.
However, Barcelona, led by Ferran Torres and a determined midfield, rallied, equalizing late to force extra time. In the added period, Madrid’s tired legs couldn’t match Barcelona’s fresher reserves, and the Catalans clinched a 3-2 victory — their third Clasico win over Madrid this season. Mbappe, meanwhile, had given everything he had, but his fitness limitations became evident as the match wore on.
