Real Madrid secured an incredible 3-1 come-back victory against rivals Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.
Alvaro Morata gave the visitors the lead early in the first half before Rodrygo Goes equalised in the 79th minute with a brilliant solo goal.
Los Blancos turned the game on Atletico’s head in the extra time, with Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior scoring to complete a stunning turnaround.
The defeat left Los Rojiblancos with a bitter taste as their poor record against their city rivals continued.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men have now joined Barcelona, Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey.
Here are the important talking points and potential fallout from the Madrid derby.
Vinicius’ perfect response to racist remarks
One of the hot topics before the game was the racist controversy surrounding Vinicius Jr.
The Brazilian was subject to racist chants from Atletico fans during September’s Madrid derby at Wanda Metropolitano, which Los Merengues won 2-1.
Atletico later released a statement condemning the unacceptable behaviour from their fans. Vinicius also vented his frustration by accusing La Liga of not taking the necessary measures.
To make matters worse, a mannequin of Vinicius was hung from a bridge alongside an Atletico banner reading ‘Madrid hates Real’ ahead of last night’s Copa del Rey.
La Liga immediately responded, stating that those guilty of the action would face criminal sanctions.
In what turned out to be a fitting response, Vinicus put on an impressive display and scored the winning goal for Madrid.
The 22-year-old has now racked up 11 goals and five assists in all competitions this season.
Eduardo Camavinga with a magnificent display
Eduardo Camavinga’s future has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks, and rumours emerged that he could leave Santiago Bernabeu in January on loan.
The French midfielder has struggled for regular game time this season despite being a key player for Carlo Ancelotti.
The Italian manager recently insisted that the former Rennes star is untouchable, shrugging off the exit rumours.
Ancelotti’s faith in Camavinga was rewarded in last night’s Copa del Rey game as he put on a stellar display in the middle of the park.
The 20-year-old has been getting significant playing time due to Aurelien Tchouameni’s absence through injury.
And Camavinga is proving to be as colossal as his compatriot, and last night’s performance handed him the man of the match award.
In a midfield featuring Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, Camavinga stood out with an exceptional defensive performance. He won numerous duels, eight fouls and three tackles while also completing 79 passes with an accuracy of 91%.
Camavinga has vividly shown that he is the future of Los Blancos, and selling him will be one of the biggest mistakes by the capital club.
Diego Simeone’s future looks bleak
Diego Simeone’s future at Atletico is now hanging in the balance following the disappointing defeat against their fierce rivals.
The Argentine manager has often been under scrutiny this season due to Colchoneros’ poor performances, and the derby defeat adds to his woes.
The chances of winning a trophy this season are now visibly over, and reports are stating that the only way Simeone could save his job is by securing a Champions League qualification.
Los Rojiblancos are currently fourth in the La Liga rankings with 31 points.
