Real Madrid Crushes Atlético in Copa del Rey Final
In a dramatic Madrid derby, Real won 4-1, with Vinícius Júnior scoring a brace. Atlético were reduced to ten men after Saúl's red card in the 67th minute.
Real Madrid Crushes Atlético in Copa del Rey Final: How Los Blancos Took Revenge at La Cartuja
On Sunday, May 24, 2026, in a dramatic Madrid derby at the Estadio Olímpico de Sevilla – La Cartuja, Real Madrid defeated their archrivals Atlético 4-1 to win the Copa del Rey. The star of the evening was Brazilian winger Vinícius Júnior, who scored a brace, while Atlético finished the match with ten men after Saúl Ñíguez was sent off in the 67th minute. This victory was Real's first trophy of the current season and allowed them to take revenge on their neighbors for the dramatic final a year earlier, where Real Sociedad had prevailed.
Details and Statistics
From the first minutes, the match was played at an incredible pace. Although the record for the fastest goal in Copa del Rey final history belongs to Ander Barrenetxea (14 seconds into the 2025 final), this time Real acted methodically. The first half saw Carlo Ancelotti's team dominate, but Diego Simeone's Atlético defended disciplinedly as usual and went into halftime with the score 0-0.
In the second half, the game completely turned around. Vinícius Júnior opened the scoring in the 52nd minute after a solo run and a precise shot into the far corner. In the 59th minute, Croatian Luka Modrić doubled Real's lead with a long-range strike from outside the box—the ball deflected off a defender's leg and went into Jan Oblak's net. Atlético managed to reduce the deficit in the 67th minute: Saúl Ñíguez received a second yellow card for a rough challenge on Fede Valverde, leaving his team with ten men, but from the resulting free kick, José María Giménez headed the ball into the net—2-1.
However, Atlético's joy was short-lived. Just ten minutes later, in the 72nd minute, Vinícius completed his brace by finishing a cross from Daniel Carvajal, for whom this trophy was a farewell gift before leaving the club. The final nail in the coffin came in the 85th minute when substitute Brahim Díaz scored after a solo run, slotting into an empty net to make it a resounding 4-1.
Context and Significance
This victory holds immense significance for Real Madrid. First, it is the club's first trophy of the 2025/26 season, helping to ease the pain of losing the La Liga title—Barcelona finished first, eight points ahead of Los Blancos. Second, Real avoided a repeat of last year's nightmare, when they were also favorites for the Copa del Rey final but lost to Real Sociedad on penalties.
The final also served as a farewell benefit for several key players. Defender Daniel Carvajal, who spent 15 seasons at the club, ended his Real Madrid career and provided the assist for Vinícius's brace. For Luka Modrić, who will turn 41 in September, this cup was his seventh in his Madrid collection—the Croatian confirmed his intention to stay at the club for at least another season.
For Atlético, this defeat extended their trophy drought, which has lasted since 2021. For Simeone, it was his fourth lost Copa del Rey final during his tenure at the club. Jan Oblak's costly error on the third goal played a key role, and Saúl's red card crippled the team at the worst possible moment, just as they were trying to come back from 2-0 down.
What's Next
Real Madrid officially ended the season on a high note. Now, the club's management, led by Florentino Pérez, will focus on the summer transfer campaign. Following the departures of David Alaba and Carvajal, the priority is expected to be strengthening the right flank of defense and finding a replacement for Toni Kroos, who retired last summer.
Atlético, on the other hand, faces a major overhaul. The final defeat, combined with missing out on the Champions League (Simeone's team was eliminated in the semifinals by Arsenal), could trigger an exodus of key players. According to the Spanish press, striker Julián Álvarez, despite scoring in the 2025 Copa del Rey final, is unhappy with the team's low scoring output and may return to the Premier League.
Editorial Prediction
Although the main trophy (the league title) went to Barcelona this season, Real Madrid ended the year with a powerful psychological boost. Crushing their archrivals 4-1 in the Copa del Rey final shows that Carlo Ancelotti's team did not break after setbacks and retained their "champion's spirit."
This mental strength will be a key factor heading into next season. Atlético, on the contrary, risks entering a full-blown crisis—for Simeone and his staff, such a defeat to their neighbors in such a significant final could mark the beginning of the end of an era. With 80% probability, we can expect that in the summer of 2026, Real will strengthen significantly more than their neighbors and once again become the main title contender in La Liga for the 2026/27 season, while Atlético faces a fire sale of its stars.
— Editorial Team
