Jules Kounde proved to be the match-winner, overshadowing his French compatriot Kylian Mbappe, as Barcelona clinched a memorable Copa del Rey victory against their fierce rivals, Real Madrid.
The final proceeded despite considerable pre-match controversy surrounding the refereeing, prompting Real Madrid to issue a denial of reports suggesting they might boycott the fixture.
Playing at Seville`s Estadio La Cartuja, Real Madrid (Los Blancos) initially fell behind early in the match after Pedri found the back of the net.
But after the halftime break, Madrid fought back into the contest, inspired by their star forward, Kylian Mbappe.
The French talisman completely turned the game`s momentum around with his first career goal scored directly from a free-kick.
The 22-year-old took his shot from just outside the penalty area after being fouled by Frenkie De Jong.
Mbappe unleashed a powerful, low shot with his right foot from the free-kick, which struck the post before flying into the net.
Just minutes later, Aurelien Tchouameni scored with a header, putting Madrid on the verge of securing their 21st Copa del Rey trophy.
Carlo Ancelotti`s side held their lead until only five minutes remained of normal time, when Ferran Torres managed to pull Barcelona level.
The former Manchester City player got clear on goal and successfully rounded goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to make the score 2-2.
Barcelona believed they had potentially won it late in stoppage time when Raphinha went down under a challenge from Asensio, claiming a penalty.
Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea initially awarded the spot-kick, but after consulting VAR, he reversed his decision and booked Raphinha for simulation.
Despite the match running past midnight in Spain, the intense contest headed into a tiring period of extra time.
With the game seemingly heading towards a penalty shootout, Jules Kounde, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal, emerged as Barcelona`s hero.
He capitalised on an uncharacteristic loose pass from Luka Modric near the edge of the box, firing a powerful low strike past Courtois that sent the Barcelona fans into ecstasy.
This winning goal secured Barcelona`s 32nd triumph in the competition and their first since 2021.
Leading up to Saturday`s final, the match had been overshadowed by reports suggesting that Real Madrid might boycott the spectacle.
The referee for the match, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, reportedly became emotional and cried during a press conference earlier in the week.
The Spanish official`s tearful response followed a video produced by Real Madrid`s internal TV channel, RMTV.
The video highlighted various refereeing decisions throughout the season that the club felt were wrongly made against them.
Real Madrid later issued a statement denying the boycott rumors. They stated that the team never considered not playing the final and expressed their belief that the referee`s emotional press conference should not overshadow a major global sporting event watched by millions. They also conveyed their respect for all the fans attending the match.
