Barcelona staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Real Madrid in a dramatic Spanish Super Cup final held in Saudi Arabia.
Real Madrid initially took the lead through Kylian Mbappé, who showcased his brilliance with a stunning solo effort. Starting his run from the halfway line, he surged forward before calmly placing the ball past Wojciech Szczesny.
Barcelona equalized in the 22nd minute when Lamine Yamal fired into the bottom corner, finishing expertly after a precise pass from Robert Lewandowski.
The momentum shifted firmly in Barcelona’s favor, as they dominated the rest of the first half with three additional goals. Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty after Gavi was fouled, putting his team ahead. Moments later, Raphinha extended the lead with a powerful header. Just before the halftime whistle, the Brazilian winger set up Alejandro Balde to score Barcelona’s fourth during added time.
Raphinha continued his excellent performance by scoring his second goal just three minutes into the second half, taking Barcelona’s tally to five.
However, the Catalans faced a setback when goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was shown a red card for a foul on Mbappé outside the penalty area in the 56th minute. Rodrygo capitalized on the ensuing free kick, curling the ball past substitute goalkeeper Iñaki Peña. Despite this, Real Madrid couldn’t mount a significant comeback, and Barcelona held on to secure their 15th Spanish Super Cup title.
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This victory marked the second high-scoring El Clasico under Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, following a 4-0 win at the Bernabéu in La Liga last October. It also delivered Flick his first piece of silverware since his Bundesliga triumph with Bayern Munich in the 2020–21 season.
The result was somewhat unexpected, given Real Madrid’s strong form leading up to the match. Carlo Ancelotti’s side had won five consecutive games across all competitions and hadn’t lost since December 4. In contrast, Barcelona had struggled domestically, winning just one of their last seven La Liga fixtures and trailing Real Madrid by five points in the table, with Atlético Madrid leading by one point.
Szczesny, who came out of retirement earlier this season, was making only his third appearance for Barcelona. Having kept clean sheets in his first two matches, the red card may complicate his chances of maintaining a regular starting role.
Raphinha’s standout performance saw him reach 19 goals for the season, while Lewandowski’s contributions brought his total to 26. This marked the third consecutive Spanish Super Cup Clasico, with Barcelona winning 3-1 in 2023 and Real Madrid triumphing 4-1 the year before.
