Benzema hat-trick sinks Barcelona to ease Real Madrid into Copa del Rey final

Karim Benzema scores his first Clasico hat-trick in Real Madrid's 4-0 demolition of bitter rivals Barcelona to secure their place in the Copa del Rey final for the first time since 2014.

Barcelona, who carried a one-goal lead into the second leg, were comfortable for the majority of the first half until Vinicius scored his first goal at the Camp Nou to level the tie on the stroke of half time.

Benzema completed the Real Madrid turnaround in the 50th minute, caressing the ball into the bottom corner.

The Frenchman dispatched his 58th-minute spot-kick to give Real Madrid a two-goal aggregate lead, and he wrapped his first Clasico hat-trick in the 80th minute to send Real Madrid into their first Copa del Rey final since 2014.

Barcelona took a slender advantage into the second leg after an Eder Militao own goal guided them to a 1-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The hosts began the contest on the front foot, and they carved out a promising opportunity in the opening 15 minutes when a dangerous Alejandro Balde cross found an unmarked Raphinha, who could only guide his tame header straight at Thibaut Courtois.

Despite carrying the greater threat in the first period, Barcelona were finding it tough to create clear-cut chances, but their opponents were also finding little joy in the final third.

Los Blancos showed signs of encouragement just after the half-hour mark, as Toni Kroos clipped the ball towards the back post for Benzema to force Marc-Andre ter Stegen into a routine stop at the near-post.

As the contest entered first-half stoppage time, the second leg burst into life as Real Madrid survived a scare at one end of the pitch when Courtios made her superb save to deny Lewandowski.

Within 20 seconds of Courtois' crucial stop, Real Madrid had levelled the tie through Vinicius Jr, who rounded off a clinical counter-attack, squirming the ball over the line.

Vinicius's strike appeared to cross the line before Benzema got a touch, but the Frenchman had a goal to celebrate within five minutes of the restart, sweeping the ball home from the edge of the box.

Real Madrid were given the opportunity to establish a two-goal aggregate lead when Franck Kessie clumsily brought Vincius Jr down in the penalty box.

A calm and composed Benzema assumed responsibility, sending Ter Stegen the wrong way to put Los Blancos in complete control.

Barcelona attempted to find a way back into the tie, but any lingering hopes of a final appearance were vanquished in the 80th minute when Karim Benzema coolly slotted the ball past Ter Stegen to register back-to-back hat-tricks,

Real Madrid will go on to face Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final, while Barcelona will turn their attention to league matters for the remainder of the season.