While Barcelona's fireworks echoed from Santander, Real Madrid handled their own Copa del Rey business at the Estadio Butarque against Leganés.
Like most Real Madrid coaches before him, for this cup game, Xabi Alonso rotated heavily but the spine of his team remained deadly with Thibaut Courtois in goal, Federico Valverde driving midfield, then both Mbappé and Bellingham up top.
The atmosphere in the stadium was electric.
Just like the Racing Santander fans against FC Barcelona, the Leganes fans prayed for a miracle, and so they turned the stadium into a cauldron.
The roar of their voices turned the stadium into a constant, humming buzz that could rattle the nerves of most professional football players out there, but not Real Madrid players, not the gladiators of the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Real Madrid players came to this stadium and under pressure from the home fans, they kept their head in the game and patiently played the game, following their coach's game plan.
