Do'h! Real Madrid Drops 'Copa del Rey' Trophy Under Bus After Beating Barcelona

For years, the ultimate prize figuratively slipped through the fingers of Real Madrid.

On Wednesday, after finally winning the Copa del Rey trophy following a 18-year wait, it quite literally slipped through their fingers again -- and right under the wheels of a bus!

The victory over hated rival Barcelona in the domestic cup final in Valencia, Madrid, was marred when the front wheel of the team bus rolled over the trophy.

Emergency services gathered up the broken pieces and returned them to the bus, but the trophy did not reappear at the club's traditional celebration spot at the Plaza de Cibeles in central Madrid.

"The cup fell, it fell," Ramos said, according to Europa Press agency. "But the cup is OK."

Later, the Spain defender made light of the incident on Twitter.

"The whole thing about the cup was a misunderstanding, it didn't fall ... it jumped off when it reached Cibeles (the fountain in Madrid where the team celebrates its titles) and saw so many Madrid fans," Ramos tweeted.

"Hahahaha ... but don't worry ... have a good day."

The club said Tuesday that the trophy will be repaired.

"It is not in good shape, evidently, it was run over by a bus," Madrid spokeswoman Marta Santisteban told The Associated Press. "It has to be fixed."

Once it is whole again, the cup will take its place alongside Madrid's other silverware in its trophy case at the club museum.

Madrid beat Barcelona 1-0 after extra time on Wednesday, with Cristiano Ronaldo's header giving the club its first domestic cup since 1993 and its first trophy of any kind in three years.

Spanish reports said 60,000 fans gathered at Cibeles to celebrate the club's first silverware under coach José Mourinho.

"After two complicated years, winning the Copa del Rey is a relief," Madrid captain Iker Casillas said before following the tradition of wrapping a Madrid insignia and club scarf around the Roman goddess that marks the square.

Based on reporting by The Associated Press.