Barcelona on Sunday retained the Spanish Supercopa with a thrilling 3-2 Clasico win over Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia.
Raphinha struck twice for the Catalans with Robert Lewandowski also on target as they beat Xabi Alonso’s team for a record-extending 16th triumph, despite Frenkie de Jong’s late red card for a foul on Kylian Mbappe.
The French forward could only feature in the final stages as a substitute after a knee sprain, with the defeat likely to raise doubts around Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso’s future.
Photo: Reuters
After Raphinha sent Barcelona ahead Vinicius Junior pulled Madrid level with a fine individual goal to kick-start a frenetic end to the first half.
Lewandowski chipped Barca back in front, but Gonzalo Garcia struck deep in stoppage-time to send the teams in level at halftime.
The battle was decided by a deflected Raphinha effort after 73 minutes, as Barca claimed the fourth trophy of head coach Hansi Flick’s reign.
Alonso is still looking for his first after arriving in June last year, and Madrid’s run of five consecutive wins across all competitions was brought to an end by their archrivals.
“We’re very happy, another trophy, it’s always a big game against Madrid,” Lewandowski told Movistar. “We played well in the first half, the second too, we were looking for more goals, but we won and that’s the most important thing.”
Flick, who led Barca to four Clasico wins over Madrid last season in four clashes, opted for Lewandowski up front over Ferran Torres and brought teenage star Lamine Yamal back in on the right wing.
It was a scrappy start in the evening heat, with Barcelona keeping the ball and Madrid sitting deep to resist them, while looking to find Vinicius on the counter.
The Brazilian had not scored in his previous 16 matches, but did offer a potent threat, flying down the left and forcing Joan Garcia into the first save.
Raphinha also sprinted back to slide in on his compatriot as Vinicius tried to break through.
Barca began to turn up the heat on Madrid and Raphinha found a breakthrough after 36 minutes.
Moments after the winger fired a fine chance badly wide, he made up for it with a low, early strike from just inside the penalty area, across Thibaut Courtois and into the bottom corner.
Madrid pulled level with a superb Vinicius strike, floating in from the left, nutmegging Jules Kounde and tucking past Garcia.
Barca went back ahead four minutes into first-half stoppage-time when Lewandowski dinked home after being played in by Pedri.
However, Madrid rapidly hit back just before halftime through Gonzalo Garcia, who finished well while falling after Dean Huijsen’s header bounced back to him off the crossbar.
The second half was a calmer affair, with fewer chances as the teams slowed down.
Garcia saved from Rodrygo Goes’ low effort, while Courtois beat away a Yamal strike.
Mbappe was warming up on the sideline when Barcelona nosed ahead, with Raphinha’s shot from outside the penalty area deflecting in off Raul Asencio to leave Courtois with no chance.
The Brazilian is in superb form and it was his seventh goal in his past five matches across all competitions.
Alonso sent on Mbappe for the final 15 minutes, trying to find a third goal and force a penalty shoot-out.
The French forward could not get a sight of goal, but Barca midfielder De Jong was sent off for a high lunge on him.
Despite Madrid’s numerical advantage Barca had the best chance in stoppage-time with Marcus Rashford firing wide when through on goal.
Asencio might have grabbed an equalizer at the death, but headed straight at Garcia.
The past four winners of the Spanish Supercopa have gone on to claim the La Liga title and Barcelona will be hoping it proves a platform for success once again.
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