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Copa del Rey, semi-finals, second leg

Pencil this one in in your diary, 20th April, Copa del Rey final, Barcelona v Real Madrid! Both sides came through their semi-final ties to set up a first "clásico" Spanish cup final since 1990. Barcelona were already five goals up from their first leg against Almería, but a much changed line up won 0-3 to make it sixteen goals against the Andalusians in three meeting this season. Almería's new signing Feghouli hit the post early on and Goitom headed wide, but with ten minutes to go to the break Adriano picked up a short past from Nolito and cut in "a la Messi" to beat Esteban from a wide angle. Afellay brought a good save out of the keeper soon after the restart, but a few minutes later Thiago looped a header in to the far top corner of the net from a Dani Alves cross. Ten minutes after that Afellay got his name on the scoresheet for the first time after Alves set him up, and Afellay and Bojan could have added to the lead later on.

Later in the evening Real Madrid left it late before beating defending champions Sevilla 2-0. Di María came close to increasing the one goal lead from the first leg when his shot came back off the post, the rebound catching Benzema by surprise as he shot wide with the goal at his mercy. A few minutes later Negredo lobbed a shot over Casillas in to the net only to be ruled out for a borderline offside, and Albiol sliced a clearance just wide of his own goal. Visiting keeper Javi Varas (standing in for the suspended Palop) made good saves from Ronaldo and Di María either side of half time, and Benzema missed a couple more chances later in the second half. With eight minutes to go though Khedira put his fellow countryman Özil through to round Varas and score. And soon afterwards Adebayor came on for his first appearance in the Bernabeu, forcing a second yellow card for Sergio Sánchez with his first touch of the ball, and then controlling a cross from Lass to volley home his side's second in injury time. (02.02.11)