A heartbroken Carlo Ancelotti struggled to hide his disappointment after Real Madrid suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final.
Madrid had fought back from an early setback to take a 2-1 lead by the 77th minute, only to see Barcelona equalize six minutes from time and force extra time. Just when it seemed penalties might decide the outcome, Barcelona struck again in the 116th minute to seal the win and the trophy.
Speaking after the final whistle, Ancelotti stood by his team despite the heartbreak.
“We dominated the second half… and we did everything we could,” he said, as quoted by football journalist Fabrizio Romano. “I can’t criticize the team, we did our best.”
The loss adds to a painful recent run for Madrid against their fierce rivals, following a heavy 5-2 defeat earlier in the La Liga season.
Despite Madrid’s spirited performance, the night ended in heartbreak, a bitter blow for Ancelotti, who watched his team come within touching distance of glory, only for it to slip away in the final moments.
