Real Madrid gets replica after cup flattened by bus

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid has a replica of the Copa del Rey trophy on display at its stadium after the original was crushed amid the celebrations of its 1-0 final victory over Barcelona.

Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos, left and goalkeeper Iker Casillas pose with the Copa del Rey trophy in this photo dated Wednesday after Real Madrid beat FC Barcelona 1-0 in the final of the Copa del Rey in Valencia, Spain. Real Madrid waited nearly three years for a trophy and then immediately broke it, when Madrid defender Sergio Ramos dropped the Copa del Rey trophy from the top of the team bus during celebrations Thursday and the bus then ran over the trophy. - AP

The replacement is on display at the club's trophy museum inside the Santiago Bernabeu stadium after the owner of the Madrid jewelers that made the trophy raced back from Wednesday's match in Valencia to deliver the spare.

"I always make a spare in case something unexpected happens, lest (King Juan Carlos) be left with nothing to give out. The spare has been ready for a long time," Federico Alegre told daily newspaper El Mundo on Friday.

The "something" happened in the early hours of Thursday morning in Madrid when Sergio Ramos lost his grip on the 15-kilogram (33-pound) trophy and dropped it from the top of the team bus, which then ran over the cup. 

In this image made from television, the Copa del Rey trophy is seen falling in front of the team bus after Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos let the 15-kilogram (33-pound) cup fall from the top of the team bus during celebrations in Madrid, Thursday, April 21, 2011. Real Madrid waited 18 years to win back the Copa del Rey trophy _ only to drop the cup and watch it get crushed under the wheels of a bus. - AP

Emergency services gathered up the pieces and put them inside the bus after it stopped.

"It was a fall of five meters, a bus ran over it, it has lost pieces, the base is destroyed and the rest is dented," said Alegre, who would attempt to repair the badly damaged original. 

"I am not sad or even angry. These things happen, it will be another anecdote to be told in the future."

In this image made from television, the Copa del Rey trophy is seen under the team bus after Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos let the 15-kilogram (33-pound) cup fall from the top of the team bus during celebrations in Madrid, Thursday. Real Madrid waited 18 years to win back the Copa del Rey trophy _ only to drop the cup and watch it get crushed under the wheels of a bus. - AP

Cristiano Ronaldo headed home the extra-time winner to give Madrid its 18th domestic cup and first since 1993.

"It's surprising to see it. It's lovely, and much bigger than we expected," the club quoted Francisco, Maria and their young son Sergio — the first people to see the replica in the museum — on its website. - AP