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Former Real Madrid star Luis Figo believes that the Los Blancos’ Copa del Rey win over Barcelona will leave them in good stead for the rest of the season.

Figo, the Uefa Champions League final ambassador, commented after attending the trophy hand over ceremony in Lisbon, where the final is being held.

The 41-year old said: “Real Madrid has just won a trophy and this will surely give them confidence for the next few matches.”

Although he tipped the Champions League semifinalists to use the win as a springboard going into their last remaining games, he claimed there was no near favourite – even after confessing that he wants Real Madrid to win the competition.

He did however show sympathy for Atletico Madrid’s opposite team Chelsea, a Portuguese connection, with Jose Mourinho in charge of the English club being the reason why.

Real Madrid face German giants Bayern Munich, Pep Guardiola’s side were crowned Bundesliga champions with seven games to go this season. They are also the reigning European champions having defeated Borussia Dortmund in last year’s final at Wembley.

The first leg of the mouthwatering semifinal tie will be played at the Bernabeu on Wednesday 23rd April, and part two on the 29th a week later in Munich.

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The euphoria over Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey win is slowly dying down as attention switches to the other two competitions they are looking to win this season.

In La Liga, Atletico de Madrid defeated Elche last night, meaning they need just three wins from their final four games to be crowned champions. Two of those games are tough matches though, away at Valencia and at Barcelona, so Los Blancos will be hoping the Rojiblancos slip up along the way and will look to take advantage.

Next on the agenda for Carlo Ancelotti’s side though is the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Both Marca and AS have good news for Madridista fans, as Cristiano Ronaldo trained with the first team squad for part of the session at Valdebebas yesterday.

The Portuguese international has been out with a hamstring problem for the last four games, but looks to be winning the race against time to be fit to take on the Champions League holders. Brazil left-back Marcelo also trained with the squad as he nears a comeback too.

Bayern boss Pep Guardiola, who guided his team to the Bundesliga title with seven games to spare, has been talking about the tie and said Los Blancos are always a tough proposition.

Meanwhile AS reports that Inter Milan are stepping up their interest in Alvaro Morata, who was previously thought to be close to a move to FA Cup finalists Arsenal.

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Cristiano Ronaldo has said he was happy to see his teammates lift the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night but wants to return to the field and be part of the action.

The 29-year-old watched on from the sidelines as Los Blancos beat arch-rivals Barcelona 2-1 to secure their first trophy of the season.

Talking to journalists after the match, the forward, who has netted 45 times for Madrid this season so far, revealed he was close to making a comeback following a hamstring injury.

“I’m really happy. I wanted to play and help the team but my teammates did a great job. I’m getting better, now I don’t feel any pain,” he said.

And he added: “I might be back in time for next Wednesday or perhaps the second leg of our Champions League tie. Bit by bit I’m feeling better and what I want more than anything is to be able to help the team out as soon as possible.”

Speaking about the match itself, the Portugal international stated it was a significant win against a very tough opponent.

The team was great, they knew how to dig in and deserved to win because they created more chances. I’m very happy. It is the first trophy of the season but we will keep on fighting for the other two.”

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Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas has spoken of his delight at winning the Copa del Rey and said his side were deserving winners.

The 32-year-old lifted the trophy after Madrid beat rivals Barcelona 2-1 at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia on Wednesday night.

Marca Bartra’s goal in the 70th minute, which cancelled out Angel di Maria’s 10th minute opener for Real, was the only time Los Blancos had conceded in the whole competition this season. And Casillas told journalists that Real were worthy winners because of the consistency they had shown throughout the tournament.

Talking to reporters gathered in the mixed zone after the match, the captain said: “The team were amazing in this competition. It was a great game with chances for both teams, but we deserved to win. I’m happy for all the fans who came to Valencia, this is the icing on the cake in a wonderful competition.”

The World Cup and European Championship winner then went on to pay tribute to the injured players who couldn’t play in the match, and in particular to young forward Jese Rodriguez, whose goals in the semi-final were crucial for Los Blancos. The 21-year-old will mix around six months of action having torn his anterior cruciate ligament.

Casillas stated: “This is when we think of Jesé, who is also deserving of this and he is not well. He’s a superstar and he’ll be back with us soon.”

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The hard work put in by the Real Madrid players over the course of the season was paid off by success in the Copa del Rey final, says Angel di Maria.

The Argentina international, who netted his team’s first goal in the 2-1 win over Barcelona in Valencia, said the players and fans deserved to enjoy the moment because of what it means for them all.

“Things worked out really well, just like we planned. We couldn’t ask for more, the way the fans walked us from our hotel to the stadium. Everything we did on the pitch was for them,” he told journalists after the match.

He added that the team had prepared well and work hard all season for their success so it was well deserved.

“This has been a team effort and the joy should be splity evenly between everyone. This is a reward for the hard work we have been putting in all year,” the 26-year-old stated.

Di Maria scored the first goal of the night for Los Blancos, collecting a beautifully weighted pass from Karim Benzema to slot into the bottom left hand corner past Pinto, who couldn’t keep the shot out despite getting a hand to it.

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The Madrid press is still raving about the Copa del Rey win on Wednesday evening and that incredible run by Gareth Bale to score the winner.

If he hadn’t already, the Welshman has hit the big time now in Spain, having been elevated from Prince of Wales to King of Wales status by the Spanish press.

And Marca has quotes too from Usain Bolt, the fastest man on the planet, about Bale’s lung busting run that started inside his own half and took him the long way round Marc Bartra having been knocked about two metres into touch.

“It was a great goal,” he told Marca. “He showed his great speed when he swept past the defence and then kept his cool and slipped the ball under the keepers legs. It seems his past as an athlete [in Cardiff Institute] helped him in this move. It’s a goal any sprinter in the world would like to score one day.”

AS focuses on the post match celebrations back in Madrid. The team flew straight back to the Spanish capital after the game and arrived in Cibeles – the traditional spot in the centre of Madrid where Los Blancos celebrate trophy success – shortly after 4am. It says 60,000 fans were there to greet them and party until sunrise.

Later on in the day, Pepe, Diego Lopez, Xabi and Alvaro Arbeloa were given a standing ovation as they watched the Real Madrid basketball team play.

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Check out the best images of Real Madrid’s victory in the 2014 Copa del Rey final against Barcelona. Realmadridnews.com team travelled to Valencia to cover the game. Here are some of the pictures we took at Mestalla.

Click on the images to see in full size:

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Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has described his side’s triumph in the Copa del Rey as a ‘magical moment’.

The centre back played a key part in keeping Barcelona’s front men quiet at the Mestalla on Wednesday evening, with Los Blancos winning 2-1 to secure their first trophy of the season. Angel di Maria scored Los Blancos’ opener before Marc Bartra equalised for the Catalans. But Gareth Bale had the last word, scoring a sensational goal five minutes from time.

Afterwards, Ramos spoke to journalists in the mixed zone and said the win could spur them on to greater success.

“Today is a magical day. It requires a lot of effort to win titles and this is the fruit of our labour, a reward for all our sacrifice during the year. It is a hugely important title. It was a very tense match and now we have to enjoy the victory because Real Madrid is once again the champion,” he said.

The World Cup winner stated that while the team would enjoy the celebrations, they would get back to work almost immediately to focus on the challenges ahead in La liga and the Champions League.

“Obviously this will give us a big moral boost for the remainder of the season. We need to continue in the same vein because we have to play in the Champions League next week,” he commented.

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Matchwinner Gareth Bale has said scoring the winning goal for Real Madrid against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final was a dream come true.

The 24-year-old scored a sensational solo effort with just five minutes left of the game at the Mestalla to hand Los Blancos a 2-1 win over the arch-rivals and secure the first of what they hope will be three trophies this season.

Speaking to journalists after the game, including realmadridnews.com, Bale said: “It was a perfect night. It is great to win trophies and I am very happy to have won my first title with Real Madrid. This victory was for the fans for all the support they have given us, the atmosphere was fantastic.”

He admitted his winning goal was probably the best he’s scored in his career, and stated that many players would have pulled up for a foul rather than carry on running like he did.

“I had to run, Bartra pushed me and tried to block me but he couldn’t. I had to get around him. It was great to score the goal but better to win the match and the Cup.”

Bale then said the team will take it game by game now having secured their first trophy of the season, and they won’t talk about a treble until it’s in the bag.

 

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Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has praised his team’s togetherness and quality after they beat Barcelona to lift the Copa del Rey.

Angel di Maria opened to scoring for Los Blancos early on in the Mestalla, but they were pegged back when Marca Bartra equalised with 20 minutes to go. However, Gareth Bale showed why the club invested so much in him last summer when he scored a sensational solo goal five minutes from time.

The win secured the first trophy for Ancelotti as Real Madrid boss, and could kick start the bid to win the treble, with La Liga and the Champions League remaining as real options for Los Blancos.

Speaking to the press afterwards, the Italian said: “I’m happy to have won this competition. We deserved it because we had a good run and today was very difficult because we were playing against a very strong team. We won through hard work and we had chances to put the match to bed in the second half”.

“I’m just happy for both the players and the fans. I’m happy to have been here and experienced this spectacle. Now it is time to celebrate with the fans. Tonight was great because of the atmosphere. The fans helped us a lot. It was a spectacle on and off the pitch.”

He added that to beat Barcelona you have to play as a team, and refuted any suggestion the Catalans were not a strong side anymore.

“Everyone says they are at the end of a cycle, but playing them is very tough. In a season there are times at which you do not have the luck you need to win, but in my opinion the team is not finished. It is a very dangerous team. Not everything has gone well for them this season, but they still have La Liga and they’re going to fight until the end for it,” he stated.

Having praise the team, Ancelotti did have some special words for Gareth Bale too. “It is certainly the most important goal of Bale’s career. It came at a decisive point of the match,” he commented.

 

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