Madrid's wounded dressing room desperate for Copa revenge
The Real Madrid players want to avoid another failure against Barcelona on April 5
Real Madrid's third consecutive defeat in a clásico was a huge blow to the ego of Carlo Ancelotti's players.
The reigning La Liga and Champions League champions were not expecting another slip-up against Barcelona and so it is no surprise that Dani Carvajal lost his temper at the end of the game in front of Arnau Tenas.
It was a clear sign of the impotence and disappointment of the 2-1 defeat at Spotify Camp Nou, which leaves Madrid with practically no chance of retaining the title.
The Madrid squad now has the date of April 5 circled in red on the calendar. On that day, they have to visit Camp Nou again to try to turn the Copa del Rey semi-final around.
The 0-1 scoreline from the first leg leaves Ancelotti's side with no option but to go all out in search of a comeback. They have no margin for error. This time they will not be able to speculate on the result.
Wounded in their pride after three consecutive defeats against Barcelona, the Madrid players will face the final clásico of the season with a clear desire for revenge.
They know that they only have two options left to save the season, the Copa and above all the Champions League, where they will face Chelsea in the quarter-finals
CLÁSICO FAILINGS
Madrid's failure in the recent clásicos (Spanish Super Cup, Copa and LaLiga) has fuelled their desire to get even against Barcelona and vindicate themselves.
Los Blancos know they have one last chance to heal their wounded pride and they intend to make the most of it. A new disappointment in a clásico (this time Barcelona have enough with a draw) would be a mockery difficult to digest.
That's why, as soon as the match was over on Sunday, Madrid set the comeback operation in motion. The attack from 'Madrid TV' and various media outlets on De Burgos Bengoetxea's refereeing is understood to be a way of putting pressure on the chosen referee to condition the second leg of the tie.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois already warned at the end of the clásico that Madrid know "we will have to come here to win the cup."
