Xavi at a loss for words after Barca's clasico thrashing

Real Madrid ease into Copa del Rey final after 4-0 win at Camp Nou

Barcelona manager Xavi argues with referee Jose Munuera Montero after receiving a yellow card during the Copa Del Rey on Wednesday. Getty

Xavi Hernandez admitted it would be hard to sleep after Real Madrid crushed Barcelona 4-0 in the Copa del Rey at Camp Nou on Wednesday.

Los Blancos reached the final 4-1 on aggregate after Vinicius Junior opened the scoring and Karim Benzema scored a hat-trick in the second half of the second leg.

Xavi had led Barca to victory over their arch rivals in the last three clasicos, but Madrid raised their game to a new level to set up a final against Osasuna on May 6.

"We're hurt, yes. It will be hard to sleep, more so as the big Barca fan that I am," Xavi said.

"I told the players (this could happen), we had chances but went in at 1-0. It's a shame because we competed well in the first half and that was our moment.

"In the second Madrid were better, sincerely, they were better physically, they pressed us high. There are no excuses."

Despite the defeat, Barcelona should still be able to win the Spanish title as they hold a 12 point advantage on Real Madrid in second. The Catalans also beat their rivals in the Spanish Super Cup final in January.

"If we win La Liga and the Super Cup it's a good season," added Xavi. "There are 11 finals left, and we have to keep competing."

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  Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring Real Madrid's fourth goal - and his hat-trick - in the 4-0 Copa del Rey semi-final second leg win against Barcelona at the Camp Nou on April 5, 2023. AP

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  Karim Benzema scores his third goal with a penalty. AFP

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  Karim Benzema celebrates scoring Real's third goal with Luka Modric, Reuters

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  Karim Benzema (L) celebrates after scoring the second goal. EPA

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  Real striker Vinicius Junior (R) celebrates with Karim Benzema after scoring the first. EPA

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  Real manager Carlo Ancelotti watches the drama unfold. Getty

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  Real's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring their first goal. AP

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  Vinicius Junior celebrates with Karim Benzema after scoring Real's first goal. AP

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  Gavi tussles with Real Madrid striker Vinicius Jr. EPA

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  Vinicius clashes with Gavi before they both receive yellow cards from referee Jose Munuera Montero. Getty

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  Real's Karim Benzema controls the ball. AP

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  Barcelona coach Xavi looks worried. AFP

Barca looked set for the final on Wednesday having edged a 1-0 win in the first leg of the semi-final in Madrid last month.

But after dominating the early stages of the second leg, they fell apart.

Vinicius Jr gave Real the lead in first-half stoppage time following a lightning counter-attack and the semi-final was turned on its head when Benzema struck 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 Camp Nou, Barca tried to respond but it was Real who looked more likely to add to their tally.

In the 80th minute Benzema 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 their chances of winning the trophy for a 20th time when they face Osasuna in the final after the latter beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 on aggregate on Tuesday.

"It was a complete match. If you don't make it complete, you can't win 0-4 here," Ancelotti said.

"In the first half we had difficulties but the first goal changes the dynamics of the whole match.

"It's a game in which personality and experience is a very important aspect. We mixed the energy of Rodrygo, Valverde and Camavinga with the experience of Vini, Modric, Kroos. They played a spectacular game."

“It was a beautiful result, very satisfying,” Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde said. “It was important to win no matter what, but we played a great match, especially in the second half.”