Bad news for Real Madrid during the Copa del Rey final, as Ferland Mendy was forced to leave the pitch due to injury at a crucial moment against their biggest rival, Barcelona.

The injury occurred just eight minutes into the match, when the Frenchman went down on the field, signaling that he could not continue. As a result, young Spanish full-back Fran García came on to replace him, while fans on social media criticized Carlo Ancelotti’s decision, noting that Mendy had not played for two months. The Italian coach faced a wave of criticism for the choice.

It was a heavy blow for Ancelotti, who had to use a substitution early in one of the competitions he seemed closest to winning.

Pedri rewards Barcelona’s dominance at halftime (1-0)

With a brilliant shot into the top corner from the edge of the box in the 28th minute, Pedri gave Barcelona the lead in the Copa del Rey final, reflecting their dominance over Real Madrid by halftime (1-0).

The Madrid side had a chance to equalize in the 35th minute, when Jude Bellingham found the back of the net with their first shot on target. However, the goal was disallowed due to a clear offside, allowing Barcelona to maintain their advantage heading into the break.