Atletico de Madrid 0 Real Madrid 2: Los Blancos cruise into Copa del Rey final

Real Madrid are through to their third Copa del Rey final in four years after comfortably seeing off Atletico de Madrid at the Vicente Calderon.

Taking a big 3-0 lead into the second leg, they ran out 2-0 winners on the night, winning the tie 5-0 overall. They will meet either Barcelona or Real Sociedad, who play the second leg of their semi-final tomorrow night, with the Catalans holding a 2-0 lead.

Like so many times before, Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed the headlines, scoring two penalties inside the first 15 minutes of the match to end the tie as a contest. In the fifth minute, the 29-year-old was felled by Javier Manquillo and the Portuguese international picked himself up to tuck home from the spot.

Just ten minutes later, Gareth Bale went down in the area under the challenge of Emiliano Insúa. Up stepped Ronaldo again to score his 34th goal of a very productive season by the former Manchester United man.

Without main man Diego Costa, missing through suspension, Atletico failed to muster much of note having had the stuffing knocked out of them so early in the game. Diego and Raul Garcia both had attempts blocked, but that was as close as it got for the home side, who came into the match on the back of two straight defeats.

The second half was a drab affair as a spectacle on a freezing cold night in Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti replaced Sergio Ramos at half-time with Nacho to ensure he will be free to play in the final having come into the match one booking away from suspension.

Ancelotti also used the second half to give playing time to Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who replaced Luka Modric, and to Jese, who came on for Ronaldo.

The clean sheet means Los Blancos have set a new record for the longest amount of time without conceding a goal in the Copa del Rey, while Iker Casillas also passed the 800 minute mark without letting a goal past him.

All in all, it won’t go down as one of the greatest Madrid derby matches, but Real won’t care, as they are into the final and in with a shout of silverware.