MADRID: Spain on Thursday hailed Gareth Bale’s wonder goal that downed arch rivals Barcelona to win the Copa del Rey final.
Spanish newspapers paid homage to Bale’s strength and power while the Welsh winger himself declared that winning the cup was “a dream come true.”
Madrid daily Marca recreated his 58- meter run at an average speed of 27 kilometers an hour on its front page.
Inside he was christened “Gareth Bolt” thanks to a burst of pace reminiscent of Jamaica’s six-time Olympic sprint gold medalist Usain Bolt.
The As daily led with “Bale brings the bullet,” whilst he was also roundly believed to have won his personal head-to-head with Barca’s Brazilian star Neymar in the battle of last year’s big money buys.
The goal proved to be the perfect riposte for a player who had received plenty of criticism for going missing in previous big games this season.
Bale more than filled the shoes of World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo. He was involved in Angel di Maria’s opener for Madrid before winning the game six minutes from time with his stunning strike.
A beaming Bale appeared before the world’s media happy to admit that winning his first trophy as a Madrid player had been the highlight of his career to date.
“It is a dream come true,” he said.
“It feels amazing. It is my first trophy and hopefully the first of many.”
However, the 24-year-old was not as amazed as most about the run and finish that tilted the game in Madrid’s favor, having scored in similar fashion for Wales against Iceland back in March.
Bale set off down the left wing and despite Marc Bartra pushing him well off the side of the pitch, he galloped through on goal to slot low past Jose Manuel Pinto.
“I actually scored a similar goal for Wales not too long ago when I ran off the pitch. I was just trying to get round him and get on the ball.
“I haven’t seen it back, but I was just focused on trying to get to the ball and score.”
Bale’s teammates were also in awe as he sped away to mark a memorable night for Los Blancos with World Cup winner Xabi Alonso claiming he had “never seen anything like it.”
Real assistant boss Paul Clement hailed Bale’s stamina to be able to make such a decisive burst at that stage of the match.
“I think it just shows what an incredible athlete he is,” said the Englishman.
“He has great ability technically but that just shows what immense power and strength he has — so late in the game too.
“To be 84 minutes in and to produce that kind of run was quite incredible.
“He was a key player tonight and he has just shown what talent he has. He is a world class talent, no question about it.”
Fans celebrate
Thousands of cheering Real Madrid fans welcomed their team back to the Spanish capital after winning the Copa del Rey.
Supporters, many wrapped in the club’s flag, cheered as the squad arrived at Madrid’s central Cibeles Square, the traditional home for raucous Real Madrid victory celebrations, in a white open-topped bus with the word “champions” written in black letters on its sides.
Fans applauded Real goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas as, following tradition, he leant over the side of the bus and wrapped a Madrid insignia and club scarf around the statue of the Roman goddess that adorns a fountain in the square.
The victory bus drove three times around the fountain as fans twirled Real scarves in the air and took photos of the players.
“Winning the cup is fantastic, winning against Barcelona is even better,” said Ezequiel Munoz, a 20-year-old student who came to the square with a group of friends after the match.
“We are going to celebrate all night long,” added Munoz, who wore a black and white Real jersey with the name of the club’s defender Sergio Ramos on its back.
The jubilant crowd had started gathering around the stage set up by the fountain in the middle of the square as soon as the final whistle blew on Real Madrid’s win.
The celebrating fans included large groups of teenagers, fathers with their young sons, elderly couples and a few people with dogs wearing Real scarves around their necks.
After failing to win the cup competition between 1993 and 2011, Real Madrid have now won it twice in the last four years.
“Real Madrid is the best club in the world, they deserve this win, they are playing very well,” said Adel Aboukar, 24, sporting a black blazer and jeans as he joined the celebrations with a friend after watching the match in a nearby bar.
Madrid city hall deployed 170 police to monitor the celebrations.
Emergency services said they treated 16 people for dizziness, anxiety attacks and minor injuries, mainly cuts and bruises due to falls.
Spain hails Bale’s ‘Bolt’ goal as Real wins Copa del Rey
Spain hails Bale’s ‘Bolt’ goal as Real wins Copa del Rey
Carlos Alcaraz wins third-round match but loses ‘drop-shot battle’ at Australian Open
- The left-handed Moutet mixed things up for Alcaraz in an almost festival Friday vibe
- “When you play someone like Corentin you don’t know what’s going to be next,” Alcaraz said
MELBOURNE: Carlos Alcaraz had to acknowledge that while he won the third-round match, he lost the battle of the drop shots against Corentin Moutet.
That could be a first for the 22-year-old Spaniard, who grew up relentlessly practicing his drop shots and is now at the Australian Open chasing a career Grand Slam.
The left-handed Moutet mixed things up for Alcaraz in an almost festival Friday vibe on Rod Laver Arena, his blend of drop shots, slice, lobs, tweeners, volleys and even an underarm serve keeping the world’s No. 1-ranked player on his toes.
“When you play someone like Corentin you don’t know what’s going to be next,” Alcaraz said after his 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 win over the No. 32 seed. “I had so much fun on the court. As you could see, we both pulled off great shots. Great points.”
Late in the first set, he said he was already fed up with tracking down drop shots and told his support team “I’m not going to run to get those.”
“I thought we were in a drop-shot competition,” Alcaraz added, laughing, “but he won!”
Ever the showman, Alcaraz chimed in with some of his own tricks and tweeners.
In the first round, Moutet was booed by the crowd for his underarm serve on match point. For his main arena debut, there was much more love from the crowd.
After a winning volley late in the match, he celebrated by extravagantly doffing his cap.
Alcaraz will next play Sunday against No. 19 Tommy Paul, who advanced when Alejandro Davidovich Fokina retired with an injury after dropping the first two sets 6-1, 6-1.
In night matches, No. 3 Alexander Zverev, the runner-up here last year, advanced 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 over Cameron Norrie and No. 6 Alex de Minaur ousted Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4, 7-5. De Minuar next plays No. 10 Alexander Bublik.
Sabalenka, Coco Gauff advance
No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 3 Coco Gauff had tough routes through the third round.
Sabalenka said there were times she felt like her head, her hands and her racket were not connected but she still had just enough to squeeze past Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7).
Gauff weathered early trouble against Hailey Baptiste before advancing 3-6, 6-0-6-3, cutting down her unforced errors and not serving any double-faults in the second set. She next plays No. 19 Karolina Muchova.
Sabalenka , chasing her third Australian Open title in four years, led 6-5 and 40-0 in her opening set but Potapova saved all three set points to send it to a tiebreaker.
In the second set, Potapova recovered two service breaks and again force a tiebreaker. She then had three set points but Sabalenka rallied when the pressure was on.
“She played incredible tennis,” Sabalenka said. “I was always on the back foot. There are days where you just have to fight — it was such a fight.”
Sabalenka won the Australian Open title in 2023 and 2024 and was the runner-up a year ago to Madison Keys.
She next faces 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, who was one of three teenagers advancing on Day 6.
Great’s advice
The 18-year-old Iva Jovic beat No. 7 Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 7-6 (3), after getting some advice from 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic.
“He gave me some very attentive tips for my game,” the American said. “That was one of the things in the forefront of my mind, because I think when Novak gives you some advice, you follow it.”
She’ll next play Yulia Putintseva, who shrugged off a vocal crowd to end Turkish player Zeynep Sonmez ‘s run, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3.
No. 8 Mirra Andreeva, who at 18 is into the fourth round in Australia for the third straight year, will next play No. 12 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, who beat Diana Shnaider of Russia 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Tien-Medvedev revisited
Daniil Medvedev rallied for a 6-7 (5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, 6-3 victory over Fabian Marozsan, the fifth time he’s rallied from two-sets down to win a Grand Slam match.
The 2021 US Open champion next has a rematch with Learner Tien, who upset him here last year.
Heating up
Play will begin an hour earlier than initially scheduled Saturday because of high temperatures expected at Melbourne Park. The forecast is for a high of 40 degrees Celsius (104 F).
