'This is what we live for,' says Kounde after Barca’s Copa del Rey triumph

Barcelona's Copa del Rey final hero, Jules Kounde, hailed his match-winning goal as the best of his career and expressed his pride in his team's performance after defeating Real Madrid 3-2 on Saturday.

The French defender struck in extra time to secure victory for Barcelona, sealing a thrilling Clasico encounter and extending their record tally of Copa del Rey trophies to 32.

"I just ran in every direction after scoring, to celebrate with the fans and my teammates," Kounde said. "This is what we live for; this is why we love football. It brings out emotions like these," he told Barca One.

Kounde's 116th-minute strike beyond Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois spared Barcelona from a penalty shoot-out and gave them a hard-fought triumph.

"It's a really special evening for me, especially with the goal," he continued. "I saw Luka Modric was about to play that pass, so I anticipated it. I saw players to my right, but I thought I'd go for the shot, and it worked out well."

Barcelona had to come from behind after being 2-1 down, and Kounde believed their resilience was a testament to their character.

"I feel very happy and proud of the team," Kounde added. "We showed our character once again and proved who we are. Even in adversity, we fought. You could see that the whole team was fully committed. Everyone fought for it."

Barcelona now have their sights set on a potential quadruple this season, having already won the Spanish Super Cup in January, with La Liga and the Champions League still in play.

"We've done important things this season and brought joy back to Barcelona fans. I don't think that can be questioned," said club president Joan Laporta. "It's a day to be immensely proud of. I'm really happy and proud of the team and the club we have."