Barcelona came from an early goal down to defeat arch-rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in an electrifying Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday. A dominant first-half performance saw Barcelona net four goals, overcoming an early setback and securing their record-extending 15th Super Cup trophy.
French forward Kylian Mbappé put Real in front in the fifth minute, finishing a solo run with a precise shot inside the far post. However, Barcelona responded swiftly. Lamine Yamal equalized in the 22nd minute, sparking a goal-scoring spree for the Catalan giants.
Striker Robert Lewandowski gave Barcelona the lead in the 36th minute from the penalty spot after Eduardo Camavinga fouled Gavi in the box. Just three minutes later, Raphinha increased the advantage with a stunning header from Jules Koundé’s brilliant long cross. Deep into first-half stoppage time, left-back Alejandro Balde added a fourth goal, capitalizing on a swift counterattack initiated by Yamal.
Despite being reduced to ten men after goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny was sent off for fouling Mbappé in the 56th minute, Barcelona maintained control. Raphinha scored his second goal three minutes into the second half, weaving past the Real Madrid defense to make it 5-1.
Real Madrid’s Rodrygo pulled one back from the resulting free kick after Szczęsny’s dismissal, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback. Barcelona defended resolutely, with substitute keeper Iñaki Peña making crucial saves, including denying Mbappé in stoppage time.
Barcelona’s coach, Hansi Flick, celebrated his first trophy at the helm of the club. “A goal for big clubs is always to win titles; that’s why we work hard. But now we have to show it in the next games,” Flick said in the post-match press conference.
Real Madrid’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, lamented his team’s performance. “In the first half we didn’t play football; we hit long balls and that wasn’t the idea. I told the players that they can lose games, but not in the way we played in the first half,” he said.
The victory marks Barcelona’s first trophy in over a year, signaling a potential resurgence for the club. The two Spanish giants have now met in the Super Cup final for the third consecutive time, with Barcelona lifting the trophy this year.
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Barcelona thrash Real Madrid 5-2 in Spanish Super Cup thriller
cgtn.com
