Barça's Copa collapse to clásico rivals Madrid leaves sole La Liga title feeling hollow

Often at this point of a team's campaign, when they have little else more to play for, it would be common to colloquially say their 'season is over,' and it usually happens when the team is knocked out of any cup competitions and is set to finish in mid-table mediocrity in the league and it normally comes with a tone of disappointment. 

FC Barcelona are pretty much in the 'season over' zone now, even though they still have a La Liga title to see out, after the 0-4 hammering to Real Madrid in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday night will give the Catalan side's remaining fixtures an air of drab pointlessness. 

Sure, the remaining 11 games will have to be played, but barring a monumental collapse Barça's 12-point lead at the summit will not be overhauled by their eternal rivals Real Madrid, who now have a cup final and the remainder of their Champions League campaign to focus on. 

Starting the night with a 1-0 lead from the first leg, a domestic treble felt on the line for the blaugrana, notwithstanding Osasuna's chances of pulling off an upset in the Copa del Rey final. Barça could have beaten Real Madrid in four consecutive clásicos with a win on Wednesday and made a real statement of intent heading into next season where clearly an improvement in Europe would be the target. 

Instead, Madrid have struck back with a massive win that, despite being in a different competition, could go some way to devaluing Barça's likely La Liga title, as both of these teams' seasons are often defined in the context of the other's. Should Real Madrid go on to pick up the Copa del Rey and even the Champions League, Barça's league and Super Cup trophies won't quite look as shiny. 

Cagey opening

It was clear both teams wanted to reserve themselves in the first half, leading to a very cagey opening 45 minutes. Barcelona held a lead to protect from the first leg and have shown themselves to be able to beat Real Madrid in a variety of manners, whether through brilliant free-flowing football as in the Super Cup final victory, or through grit and doggedness as in the first leg of this tie. On Wednesday, Barça seemed to opt for a combination of the two styles, but leaning closer to the doggedness. 

Right before half time, Xavi's best-laid plans went out the window with the first goal, which incidentally came from Madrid breaking after Barça had their best chance of the game up to that point. It was the first time in the game the home side had committed bodies forward for the move, and ultimately Lewandowski couldn't convert. Expertly, Madrid knew this was their moment to pounce, and within a flash, Vinicius Jr was in the Barça box playing a one-two with Benzema before finishing. 

Madrid came storming out of the blocks after the restart, and a quick Benzema brace put a very different complexion on the tie. All of a sudden, Madrid were 0-3 up, moving the ball faster than the hosts could follow, and creating even more chances to extend the lead. 

Barça pushed and pushed but ultimately, their dull attack line couldn't danger Courtois's goal much. Gaps inevitably started to appear as the home side looked for a consolation goal to ease their pride, but instead the speed of Vinicius only caught them undermanned at the back again for a 4th and a second-half hat-trick for Karim Benzema.

"Despite losing, the crowd was amazing," FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernàndez said. "It is a pity as we gave it our all, but we played very badly in the second half even though the first one was quite good. But this is football."

Camp Nou

Wendesday was also the last time a clásico will be played in what will soon be referred to as 'the old Camp Nou'. 

From next season, Barça will play their home games in the Olympic Stadium in Montjuïc while renovation works take place in their normal home stadium. 

As such, the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg was the last ever clásico that will be played in the Camp Nou stadium as we have known it for the past 70 or so years.