Real set new record with last-gasp draw
Real Madrid set a Spanish record of 40 matches unbeaten in all competitions after they came back from two goals down to snatch a 3-3 draw at Sevilla with a last-gasp equaliser from Karim Benzema in the Copa del Rey yesterday morning (Singapore time).
Real trailed 3-1 in the 77th minute of their last-16, second-leg tie, but captain Sergio Ramos reduced the arrears from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute after Matias Kranevitter had pulled down Casemiro in the area.
With seconds remaining, Marcelo fed Benzema in the area and the Frenchman struck a right-footed shot past Sevilla goalkeeper David Soria as Real progressed to the quarter-finals with a 6-3 aggregate win.
"We suffered a lot. But we have character and that is good. Perhaps Sevilla deserved to win on the night but, in terms of the tie, we deserved to go through," said Real coach Zinedine Zidane.
Real had equalled arch-rivals Barcelona's long unbeaten run with a 5-0 rout of Granada last Saturday.
"We weren't thinking about the record," Real left back Marcelo said.
"We take it one game at a time. The important thing is that we reacted, we played a great game and we are going to continue to fight like we did tonight."
Real, four points clear of Sevilla at the top of La Liga, face them again at the same venue on Monday morning.
"We expect an even more difficult game on Sunday," Zidane said.
"Sevilla are a very good side. They are doing very well and it's not by chance that they are second in the table."
Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli said his team attacked frantically for the whole 90 minutes.
He said: "The truth is that the so-called crazy game was nothing more than a frantic attack by Sevilla for 90 minutes. We had between 13 and 15 clear chances at goal." - WIRE SERVICES
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