Following a tempestuous build-up circulating around Real’s grievances over the choice of referee for tonight’s match - Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea - the time for talking was thankfully over.
Barca were the ones forcing the issue during the opening exchanges, as Jules Kounde headed over from Dani Olmo’s corner.
Real then took a hit early on when Ferland Mendy - making his first appearance since mid-March after recovering from a hamstring injury - was replaced by Fran Garcia following a collision with Kounde.
Hansi Flick’s side were sensing vulnerabilities, and Lamine Yamal tried his luck with a left-footed strike that flew inches wide. T
hibaut Courtois was called into action moments later, making a fine one-handed save to parry over Kounde’s header from Raphinha’s free-kick.
However, the seemingly inevitable Barcelona breakthrough came in the 29th minute courtesy of a wonderfully crafted goal by Pedri.
The midfielder picked out Yamal, who cut the ball back for Barca’s number eight to unleash an unstoppable, ferocious drive past Courtois.
With momentum in their favour, the Catalans almost had a second before half-time when Olmo’s corner flew across the face of goal before clipping the post.
Ancelotti called upon Kylian Mbappe at the break, yet it was two starting players who combined to almost restore parity after Jude Bellingham played in Vinicius Junior, who was twice denied in quick succession by Wojciech Szczesny.
The contest had opened up, as Vinicius Junior was picked out by Mbappe, seeing his subsequent strike blocked by Kounde before a separate individual shot from the Brazilian sailed narrowly past the post.
Raphinha had yet to make his mark on this match, and twice failed to find the target at the end of blistering counterattacks.
They proved to be costly misses, and it was Mbappe who wiped out Barca’s lead with the first direct free-kick goal of his career, which clipped in off the post and served as vindication for Ancelotti’s half-time change.
The match swung firmly in Real’s favour when Aurelien Tchouameni turned the game on its head with a brilliant towering header from Arda Guler’s corner, and suddenly, Flick’s men were staring down the barrel of defeat.
Barca chased an equaliser, and they found it as this extraordinary game took another twist, with Yamal providing a sumptuous assist for Torres to coolly round Courtois and slot the ball into an empty net.
It looked like Flick’s men would have a chance to win the match at the death when Raul Asencio was penalised for a challenge on Raphinha in the box, but in a dramatic twist, the Brazilian was booked for simulation after a VAR review.
Torres was proving to be a constant threat and flashed his angled attempt wide in extra time after being spotted by Raphinha.
But the Catalans’ goalscoring hero came from an unlikely source, as Kounde drilled a brilliant finish into the bottom corner after punishing Luka Modric for a costly misplaced pass.
This result will be a huge psychological blow for Real ahead of the next El Clasico meeting on May 11th, while this is the first trophy secured for Flick’s men in their quest for a treble.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jules Koundé (Barcelona)