In a thrilling Spanish Super Cup final, Barcelona secured a commanding 5-2 win over Real Madrid, claiming their 15th title in the competition. Despite a strong start by Madrid, it was Barcelona’s clinical finishing and relentless attacking play that ultimately sealed the win in an action-packed clash.
Real Madrid made a strong start to the final, taking the lead within the first few minutes. Kylian Mbappé, in his debut season with Los Blancos, opened the scoring with a well-taken goal. The French forward, who had been a focal point for Madrid’s offense, showed his quality with a low shot into the bottom corner, putting Madrid 1-0 up.
However, despite the early setback, Barcelona quickly regained their composure.
Barcelona responded emphatically to the early goal, scoring four times in a blistering 30-minute period. The first came in the 22nd minute when Lamine Yamal slotted home a brilliant pass from Robert Lewandowski to level the scores at 1-1. Just moments later, the Polish striker, Lewandowski, netted a penalty after Eduardo Camavinga fouled him inside the box. The decision was reviewed by the referee, and Lewandowski’s cool finish put Barcelona ahead at 2-1.
Raphinha then struck just before the half-hour mark, heading in a perfect cross from Jules Koundé to make it 3-1. Not long after, Alejandro Balde capped off a rapid counter-attack with a powerful finish to give Barcelona a comfortable 4-1 lead heading into the break.
Raphinha’s Brace and Szczesny’s Red Card
The second half continued with drama, as Barcelona added a fifth goal in the 48th minute. Raphinha, who had been a standout performer, netted his second goal of the game, racing clear of Madrid’s defense and calmly finishing past Thibaut Courtois.
Real Madrid, now down by four goals, still tried to mount a comeback. Rodrygo hit the woodwork with a powerful volley, and later in the match, he scored a brilliant free-kick in the 60th minute to reduce the deficit to 5-2. However, their hopes of a comeback were dashed when goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off in the 68th minute for a foul on Mbappé outside the penalty area. Madrid were reduced to 10 men, making their task even more difficult.
Barcelona Seal the Victory
Despite Real Madrid’s efforts to push forward, Barcelona maintained control of the game. With Madrid playing with one man less, Barcelona’s defense stood firm, and they were able to run down the clock as the game entered stoppage time. A few more chances came for Madrid, but Barcelona held on for a comprehensive 5-2 victory.
- Barcelona’s Attack: Raphinha was one of the stars of the match, contributing two goals and an assist. His performance, along with Lewandowski’s penalty and Balde’s goal, were crucial to the Blaugranas’ success.
- Szczesny’s Red Card: The sending-off of Szczesny proved to be a turning point in the game. The goalkeeper’s reckless challenge on Mbappé left Madrid with only 10 players for the remainder of the match, effectively ending any chance of a comeback.
- Rodrygo’s Free-Kick: Rodrygo’s goal from a free-kick provided a glimmer of hope for Real Madrid, but it came too late to change the outcome.
Barcelona’s 15th Supercopa de España Title
The victory marks Barcelona’s 15th Supercopa de España title and their second triumph over Real Madrid in the competition in just three years. Their dominance in the first half, combined with their clinical finishing and solid defense, earned them a well-deserved victory.
With the Spanish Super Cup now in the bag, Barcelona will be looking to carry this momentum into the remainder of the season. Real Madrid, on the other hand, will have to regroup and focus on bouncing back from this heavy defeat as they prepare for the upcoming challenges in La Liga and the Champions League.
