Another Copa del Rey for Barça, this one in honor of Lozano

Four different teams arrived at the Final Four in Antequera with a clear favourite: Barça, who fulfilled the forecasts. There was Peñíscola, from Segunda, who saw his dream vanish in the semifinals after losing to Cartagena on penalties. The fourth was Palma, who had no choice against the eventual champion in the run-up to the final. In fact, Jesús Velasco’s men were the only team present that knew what it was like to win a title, in general, and not just a few. In the Fernando Argüelles pavilion they added one more success in their favorite tournament, the Copa del Rey. Eighth conquest in thirteen disputed editions.

In 2022 there was a historic feat, with Antequera, from Segunda at that time, proclaiming himself champion. The surprises this year did not appear, and that Barça had to sweat to defeat Cartagena (4-3). A solitary goal from Pito unbalanced the final in extra time. In the first half, Barça dominated, cWith a great goal from Ferrao from a pure pivot and another from Marcenio, from a direct free kick and almost on the buzzer. Before, Duda came to take out his team with a goalkeeper-player to run out of time, taking risks, but without benefiting. Of course, the trend during this first half was to wait in the middle of the track, something that changed in the second part. They were forced to.

After the restart, Barça was soon loaded with fouls and Motta took advantage of it, to score a double penalty and close the gap. It was the opening of some crazy final minutes, because soon after, Antonio scored his own. Match matched… until Ferrao arrived, also from ten meters. He scored two in this way against Palma and another one of the same kind in the final. What for many are double-penalties, for him they are almost penalties. With Cartagena taking risks, the tie came… again with an own goal! This time from Coelho. Match to extra time, but this time Barça did not fail, with a stellar whistle that scores another Copa del Rey… with a third different team after having done it with ElPozo and with Movistar Inter previously. A title dedicated to the injured Sergio Lozano who, dressed in street clothes, raised the trophy to the sky of Antequera.