football
David Alaba added to his impressive collection of titles by winning Spain’s Copa del Rey on Saturday. After the 2-1 final victory over CA Osasuna in Seville, the ÖFB legionnaire, who returned to the starting XI after a calf injury, was able to celebrate his 33rd major title in club football in Real Madrid jersey.
After winning the cup, Alaba has won all the important trophies that can be won with the “Royal” in just his second year. In the previous season, the 30-year-old from Vienna won the Spanish championship and the Champions League, followed by the Spanish and European Supercups and the Club World Cup.
The cup success finally completed the impressive collection of trophies with the “Royal”. After Hans Krankl (1981 with Barcelona) and Gerhard Rodax (1991 with Atletico Madrid), Alaba is only the third Austrian to win the cup in Spain.
Surprising in the starting line-up
In the final game in Seville, Alaba was a little surprising in the starting lineup after recovering from injury. The ÖFB legionnaire initially acted as a central defender and later as a left-back in the usual confident manner and also involved himself again and again in the offensive game of the “Royal”.
In the first half he circled a free kick against the crossbar, in the second half he put a technically demanding shot just centimeters over the goal. In the end, Real celebrated a narrow win thanks to two goals from the Brazilian Rodrygo (2nd, 70th) and crowned themselves Spanish Cup winners for the 20th time.
No time to celebrate
Outsider Osasuna demanded a lot from the “royal” and even managed to equalize in the meantime through Lucas Torro (58th). “We had moments where we suffered but we deserved the win. Not just for today, but for the way we got through the competition by beating very strong opponents,” said Real coach Carlo Ancelotti.
But there is not much time to celebrate. The semi-final first leg in the Champions League against Manchester City is already on the program for the Madrilenians on Tuesday. “We will line up and fight because we are very close to another final. We’ll do everything we can to get into another final,” stressed Ancelotti.