Carvalho: Puyol goal crucial

Real Madrid’s Ricardo Carvalho says his side did not recover from Carles Puyol’s equaliser in Wendesday’s Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg.

Real reached the interval a goal to the good thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s early strike, but Puyol drew the visitors level with a header from a Xavi corner just four minutes into the second half.

Barca never looked back and claimed a deserved victory with a 77th-minute goal from another defender, Eric Abidal.

Xavi said Puyol’s strike had been the turning point in the match and Carvalho agreed with the Barca midfielder.

“We were fine and playing a tight and balanced game, but Puyol’s goal after half-time changed everything,” the defender told Real’s official website.

“Barcelona became more confident and their game improved. We’ll do everything we can to turn the tie around.”

The match was Carvalho’s first appearance for Real since September after recent struggles with back and knee problems, and the Portuguese centre-half said he was relieved to return to competitive action.

“It’s been a complicated year for me because I played many games last season and I’ve experienced physical problems from the start of the present campaign,” he said.

“But I feel better each day and expect to return to last season’s form.”

Real face Athletic Bilbao away in La Liga on Sunday before travelling to Barcelona on Wednesday for the second leg of their quarter-final tie.