Ruthless Barca makes Madrid pay in Bernabeu blowout

MADRID - Real Madrid couldn't put Barcelona away when it had the chance, and ended up being dealt a hard blow by its biggest rival on Wednesday.

In the first of two consecutive games between the Spanish powerhouses at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Barca weathered a dominant first half by Madrid and then scored three times after the break for a 3-0 win and a spot in the Copa del Rey final for a sixth straight season.

"I have to admit that we didn't play very well in the first half," Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said after his 100th match at the helm.