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King's Cup PIX: Barca complete double with win over Sevilla

May 23, 2016 08:10 IST

IMAGE: Barcelona celebrate after winning the Copa del Rey Final. Photograph: Sergio Perez/Reuters.

Ten-man Barcelona retained the King's Cup with a 2-0 victory over Sevilla to complete a domestic double thanks to extra-time goals by Jordi Alba and Neymar at the Vicente Calderon stadium on Sunday.

Luis Enrique's La Liga champions had Javier Mascherano sent off in the 36th minute but kept the score at 0-0 before Sevilla had Ever Banega dismissed in added time at the end of 90 minutes.

With both teams down to 10 men, Barcelona began to take control in the extra period and left back Alba burst down the wing to score in the 97th after a superb defence-splitting chip from Lionel Messi.

IMAGE: Jordi Alba of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring. Photograph: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images.

Sevilla were then reduced to nine players when defender Daniel Carrico was sent off for dissent late on and Neymar doubled Barcelona's lead after also being set up by Messi.

It was the 28th time Barca had won the trophy.

They had struggled after Mascherano's red card as Unai Emery’s side, who won the Europa League for the third time in a row last week, piled on the pressure.

But Barca, who lost top scorer Luis Suarez to injury just before the hour mark, stubbornly refused to cave in and eventually came out on top in a tense, spiky encounter.

Source: REUTERS
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