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- Blancos secured big win at Camp Nou
- Benzema hit historic hat-trick
- Boss rewards players for their efforts
WHAT HAPPENED? The Blancos are through to the 2023 Copa del Rey final after putting in a stunning display against old adversaries at Camp Nou – with Ballon d’Or award-winning captain Karim Benzema netting a historic hat-trick. Real were understandably in high spirits afterwards, with Ancelotti lifting the mood even further when revealing that he would be granting the players an unscheduled day off.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ancelotti said when addressing his squad: “Proud. Proud to see a match like this. To sit on the bench is something to be proud of, for me and for all of you. Second, I lied to you. It was not a final. This was a lie, it was a semi-final, the final we still have to play. And third, listen now, tomorrow is a day off.”
WHAT NEXT? Real may sit 12 points behind Barcelona in the Liga table, but they are now in the hunt for more domestic silverware and also have a Champions League quarter-final clash with Chelsea fast approaching – as they seek to defend a continental crown that was recaptured in 2022.
