Tens of thousands of euphoric Real Madrid fans welcomed their team home to the Spanish capital after they clinched their first Spanish Cup win since 1993, beating Barcelona 1-0 in the King’s Cup final.
Supporters, many wrapped in the club’s flag, cheered as the squad arrived Madrid’s central Cibeles Square, the traditional home for raucous Real Madrid victory celebrations, in an open-top bus that was escorted by police on horseback as confetti rained down around them.
Trophy smashed under bus
Just before the team’s arrival at the square, Real defender Sergio Ramos held the Spanish Cup trophy, which weighs 15 kilos, above his head, and lost his grip, causing it to fall in front of the bus.
The bus then ran over it before stopping. Police rushed to retrieve the silver trophy and gave it to the driver of the bus.
“It fell, it fell, it’s fine, it’s fine,” Ramos told reporters when asked about the incident as he arrived at the square.
The trophy was not displayed after its fall. Emergency services workers picked up at least 10 pieces of the trophy.
Ronaldo sealed dramatic win
The crowd had started gathering in the square as soon as the final whistle blew on Real Madrid’s dramatic 1-0 extra-time victory at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium.
Barcelona and Real have not met in the final of the Spanish Cup since 1990, when Barcelona won 2-0.
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has answered his critics in the best possible way by adding an 18th King’s Cup to the club’s trophy cabinet and ending a two-year silverware drought on his debut season courtesy Ronaldo’s 103rd-minute header.
Casillas and Sergio Ramos were effusive in their praise for Mourinho.
“He is a phenomenon,” said Casillas.
“He’s the captain and with his philosophy he tries to instil values in us that have served us well,” added defender Ramos.
Wounded Barca look for La Liga lift
Meanwhile, Barcelona cannot afford to wallow in the pain of the defeat and must focus on protecting their eight-point lead in La Liga, said striker David Villa.
“We hoped for victory in the final but we have to pick ourselves up,” said Villa.
Barca coach Pep Guardiola said he was confident his players would demonstrate the same resilience they had in the past.
“We’ll come back from this,” he said. “These players have showed they can do that many times”.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2011.
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