Endrick takes the lead in the Cup and gives Madrid victory over Real Sociedad

Real Madrid left Anoeta with an advantage in the tie, with an old plan executed by new faces: Lunin and Endrick , an illuminated goalkeeper and a no-nonsense number nine. Two guys who have been given the Cup as a refuge, and who make the most of it with enthusiasm. That's how Madrid calmed down Real's unbridled push, spicy on the wings, unwavering in their efforts, and thus left with a minimal advantage heading into the distant return leg of the semi-finals, back on April 1 at the Bernabéu.

It was a vibrant and open first half from the first whistle. Anoeta opened the floodgates and the second semi-final erupted with the same impetus as the first, the eight goals from the night before in Montjuïc . Real Sociedad went for Madrid as if the tie was already coming to an end, with a kind of wild courage that disconcerted Ancelotti's squad. They turned off the light with the pressure up front and they couldn't find where to advance or what to do with the ball. It was disappearing at their feet and Barrenetxea and Take Kubo woke up a Lunin who hadn't wiped the sleep from his eyes and who didn't rest his eyes all night. The Ukrainian held the first shot at point-blank range and then grabbed a ball on the line that suddenly appeared there after a corner that Brais Méndez headed in at the near post.

Alguacil's team had a scorching start. Camavinga had no time to turn around or choose the right recipient and Tchouameni, already a sure thing in any position, opted to get rid of the commitment with two long balls. Pressed against their area, Madrid began to lower their pulse through passing. Ceballos and Bellingham appeared to open gaps in the undergrowth they suddenly found themselves in, and even Vinicius dropped back to find space on the other side.

Ancelotti transformed the team for the Cup, with eight changes compared to the weekend against Girona. Courtois, who is not playing in the tournament, Mbappé, due to a dental operation, and Valverde, injured and in need of some rest, stayed at home. Camavinga returned to the starting eleven and moved Tchouameni back to the defence, which moved Asencio to right-back, where he suffered from Barrenetxea's attacks, which earned him an early yellow card. Between that risk and the chants from the crowd for which the referee stopped the match, he remained in the dressing room after the break. Lucas Vázquez came on and took the armband from Vinicius, who only took him on for 45 minutes in his first time in charge of the squad.

Güler and Endrick also returned, after many matches with hardly any options. The Turk was having trouble finding his place, getting into the game. The Brazilian doesn't understand ruminations. He drives the steamroller over any stage and lights the bonfire with any spark. All it took was a steal from Vinicius, who went back to surprise Zubimendi from behind and an extraordinary long pass from Bellingham. Endrick crossed with the ball behind the defence, tamed it with his hip while continuing to accelerate and beat Remiro with his outside. He is squeezing the Cup like no one else: four goals already in the competition. And he left with the oops of the second: he broke the crossbar after another superlative control.

The blow did not diminish Real's determination, which continued to insist on the edges with Take, well contained by Fran García, and above all with Barrene, who forced Lunin to two postcard flights. First with a shot that he got rid of with his wrong hand. Then with a cross to Oyarzabal's head that the Ukrainian defused with a handball goalkeeper's jump, with his left leg extended. Pure guesswork.

Madrid had shaken off the suffocating embrace of the start, but Real's full-throttle push kept the night on the line. Vinicius and Bellingham stretched their team further and further, looking for the trail of Endrick's icebreaker, but the game always went back to the other side, where Lunin accumulated six saves.

Despite being at the start of a week that will see him face Real Madrid, Barça and Manchester United, Alguacil held nothing back: he pressed with all the fresh players, from Becker to Oscarsson. And so they continued to aim without reward at Lunin's area in a more shirtless back and forth, with a certain terminal air, in which Remiro also had to work. Despite the exchange of shots, the night only gave reward to Endrick, Madrid's driving force in this Cup, who he already rescued against Celta in a very critical situation.