When Rivalry Meets the Round of 32: Madrid Reacts to a Controversial Copa Del Rey Moment

Controversy Sparks After Madrid's Cup Win

Madrid's club television channel kept the controversy alive after a hard-fought 3-2 victory over third-tier Talavera in the Round of 32 of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night.

A pundit on the Madrid channel delivered a remark that drew attention, describing Barcelona as the team that paid for Niquerira, without naming the official, a cryptic jab that sparked chatter online.

Following Madrid's win, the commentator noted that the best outcome is to win. He added that this round eliminated several teams, while others advanced, including Real Madrid.

He went on: Atlético Madrid also progressed narrowly, and the team that paid for Niquerira also qualified after scoring its first goal in the 80th minute.

The speaker closed with: Whether in good times or bad, this is what makes the King’s Cup so grand.

Barcelona has long faced accusations in a case involving payments to the former deputy head of the refereeing committee in an alleged attempt to influence results. Madrid has pressed hard for sanctions against its rival, with the case still open and unresolved.

Barcelona also scraped through to the last-16 by beating Deportivo Guadalajara 2-0 on Tuesday.

Instagram embeds and other social embeds were shown during coverage, underscoring the heated atmosphere around Spanish football's oldest trophy.

In short, the cup continues to deliver drama, while the club politics linger in the background.

Punchline: If football had a witness protection program, VAR would testify first.

Punchline: Barcelona and Madrid in the same episode of a soap opera—season finale soon, or maybe a mid-season cliffhanger.