Kylian Mbappé Benched as Real Madrid Fall to Barcelona in Dramatic Copa del Rey Final

Apr, 27 2025

Kylian Mbappé Sidelined at Kickoff for Copa del Rey Final

Real Madrid fans were left scratching their heads when the starting lineup for the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona dropped—Kylian Mbappé, fit and warming up with the squad, wasn’t on the pitch. Coach Carlo Ancelotti decided to bench the French superstar, even though he'd been cleared after recovering from that nasty ankle injury against Arsenal just weeks earlier. With speculation swirling, the move looked like a gamble right from the first whistle, especially in a match as intense as El Clásico, the kind that can define a season.

Ancelotti explained his reasoning before the game: Mbappé might be medically fit, but was he truly ready for the full 90? The risk of aggravating his injury or seeing him fade late in the game was too great for Ancelotti, so he rolled the dice on his other attackers and hoped for midfield control. Early on, though, Madrid felt the void—no Mbappé meant no immediate attacking spark.

Barcelona took advantage of Madrid’s uncertainty, with Pedri finding pockets of space left by a wobbly Madrid backline. On the cusp of halftime, the Catalans capitalized: Pedri pounced, slotting past Courtois, handing Barca a 1-0 lead and putting pressure back on Ancelotti’s bench. The Bernabéu faithful knew something had to change, fast.

Mbappé’s Second-Half Charge Falls Short in Epic Clash

The vibe in the stadium shifted the moment Mbappé started warming up after the break. Within minutes of the restart, he was on, and the energy on the pitch was electric. The Frenchman looked sharp, making threatening runs and forcing Barcelona’s defenders into awkward challenges. But his real statement came in the 70th minute. Madrid won a free-kick on the edge of the box, and Mbappé bent a low, fizzing shot around the wall—his first direct free-kick goal in a Real Madrid shirt. Suddenly, the score was level, and hope surged for Los Blancos.

With momentum now swinging Madrid’s way, Ancelotti’s men pushed forward. Just seven minutes later, Aurelien Tchouameni powered home a header, putting Madrid in front for the first time and sending their supporters into a frenzy. But finals rarely go according to plan, especially against Barcelona. Late drama was guaranteed, and Barca refused to back down.

Brahim Díaz, who’d been largely reliable all year, made a costly mistake deep into extra time. Misplacing a pass under pressure, he handed Jules Koundé the chance to equalize, which he gladly took. Then, as legs tired and emotions frayed, Barcelona sealed the win—punishing Madrid’s sloppiness at the death. Despite Mbappé’s critical cameo, Madrid’s defensive issues and mental lapses opened the door for their rivals to lift the trophy with a 3-2 victory.

Still, even in a losing cause, Mbappé’s impact was impossible to ignore. Coming off the bench and changing the tempo, scoring a vital goal with little time on the pitch, he showed exactly why he’s regarded as one of the best in the world. Ancelotti’s caution might have been justified—after all, playing a not-quite-100% star on a tough ankle could backfire—but the Frenchman’s brief, electric performance is what people will talk about for weeks. In a heated clash that ultimately swung Barcelona’s way, Mbappé proved he’s Madrid’s game-changer in any situation.