Real Madrid advances to Copa del Rey final with 4-0 win over Barcelona

SMA NEWS – MADRID
Karim Benzema struck a hat-trick as Real Madrid thrashed arch-rival and league leader Barcelona 4-0 to reach the Copa del Rey final in stunning fashion on Wednesday.
Barca, bidding for a fourth successive Clasico victory this season, looked set for the final having edged a 1-0 win in the first leg of the semifinal in Madrid last month.
But after dominating the early stages of the second leg it fell apart in unlikely fashion to lose 4-1 on aggregate.
Vinicius Jr gave Real the lead in first-half stoppage time following a lightning counter-attack and the semifinal was turned on its head when Benzema stroked a shot into the corner five minutes into the second half from a Luka Modric pass.
Eight minutes later Vinicius was fouled in the area and Benzema thumped his penalty past Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
With jeers echoing around the Camp Nou, Barcelona tried to respond but it was Real Madrid who looked the more likely to add to its tally with Benzema unstoppable.
In the 80th minute he was again set up by Vinicius to complete his second hat-trick in a matter of days having also hit a treble in the 6-0 destruction of Real Valladolid.
Real will fancy its chances of winning the trophy for a 20th time when it faces Osasuna in the final after it beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 on aggregate on Tuesday.