'El Clasico' rivalry continues on the Champions League stage. Real Madrid fans drew attention by expressing gratitude to Inter Milan for defeating Barcelona.
The Spanish broadcaster 'El Chiringuito TV' reported on the 8th (Korean time) that Real Madrid fans hung a banner in front of the club's training ground alongside a video shared on social media (SNS).
The video from the media shows a white banner made by Real fans. It reads 'GRAZIE INTER,' which means 'thank you Inter' in Italian.
This banner was hung after Inter defeated Barcelona. Above it, several plush bears symbolizing Madrid are bowing, and a smaller banner stating 'FORZA INTER' (Go Inter) is attached.
In fact, Inter defeated Barcelona 4-3 after extra time in the second leg of the 2024-2025 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League (UCL) semifinals on the 7th.
As a result, the two teams, who were tied 3-3 in the first leg, saw Inter win with an aggregate score of 7-6. Inter, having defeated Barcelona, found themselves in the Champions League final.
This appears to be an explicit mocking message from Real fans toward Barcelona, who were eliminated from the Champions League. Real had previously fallen to Arsenal in the quarterfinals.
Real has acquired Kylian Mbappé this season, but they are relatively lagging behind Barcelona. In the 2024-2025 Copa del Rey (King's Cup) final, they finished as runners-up after losing 2-3 to Barcelona due to a decisive goal from Jules Koundé.
Also, Real currently sits in second place in La Liga with 75 points, struggling to catch up to league leaders Barcelona, who have 79 points. Real faces a high possibility of ending the season without any trophies.
Ultimately, Real fans viewed Barcelona's elimination as 'a victory' and left an overtly mocking phrase. The rivalry between Real and Barcelona is intensifying beyond La Liga to the European stage.
Barcelona won 3-2 against Real Madrid in the 2024-2025 King's Cup final held on the 27th (Korean time) at the Estadio Olímpico de La Cartuja in Sevilla, Spain, with a decisive goal from Jules Koundé scored in the 11th minute of extra time when the score was tied 2-2.
Meanwhile, there is also a message that reads 'MERCI AS MONACO' nearby. This means 'thank you AS Monaco' in French. Monaco had previously defeated Barcelona 2-1 in the Champions League group stage opener.
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