Barcelona won their first trophy of the Hansi Flick era after beating rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup Clásico final in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
Kylian Mbappe put Madrid ahead, but an outclassed Barcelona had five hits and had goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny sent off in the second half.
Madrid had hoped to bounce back from a 4-0 home loss to Barcelona in October’s La Liga Clásico, but instead left them battered and bruised by their arch-rivals in Jeddah.
After Mbappe’s opener, Lamine Yamal equalized, Robert Lewandowski put Barcelona ahead from the penalty spot, Raphinha got a brace and Alejandro Balde also found the net.
Rodrygo Goes pulled one back for Madrid with a free-kick but they were unable to capitalize on their numerical advantage as they suffered a humiliating defeat for the European champions.
“I really like it. It’s been a season since we won a trophy. It’s always special, especially in the Clásico against Real Madrid.” Barcelona defender Jules Kounde spoke to Movistar.
“We stayed calm and patient, knowing that if we applied our plan we would win.
“I am very proud and happy for the team. Immediately after receiving the red card we came together and said we had to suffer, but we had a huge advantage and that cannot escape us.”
Real Madrid ruined the game due to ‘bad defense’
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti cited the team’s poor defense as the main reason for the crushing defeat.
“We played poor defense and it cost us the game. They found the goal very easily,” Ancelotti told Movistar.
“We are sad and disappointed like all fans. There is no need to hide it… We have to look forward. There is nothing we can do.”
Both coaches decided to keep the same lineup they started with in the semifinals.
Yamal sent Madrid an early warning with a curling attempt down the right flank, forcing Thibaut Courtois to make a fine save.
The Belgian goalkeeper also made a powerful stop to deny Raphinha’s header after the Brazilian easily eluded Lucas Vazquez.
Despite Barcelona’s first goal, it was Real Madrid who took the lead in the counterattack with Mbappe’s brilliant goal in the 5th minute of the first half.
The French striker, who had been frustrated several times by the offside flag in the league defeat to Catalonia, strayed from the halfway line after Vinicius won the ball back, lunged into the area and slotted past Szczesny.
Barcelona hit back under the goal.
It took 17-year-old Yamal to score a stunning individual goal to tie the scoreline. The Spanish winger fired low inside the near post in a similar style to former Barça great Lionel Messi before cutting in from the right. He is often compared to:
Barcelona continued to push and went ahead through Lewandowski’s penalty after Eduardo Camavinga arrived late and inadvertently hit Gabi.
Raphinha soon added Barcelona’s third goal when he headed in Kounde’s cross from deep, and a fourth just before half-time.
Yamal and Raphinha combined, the latter slipping past Courtois to Balde.
Barcelona continued the same trend after the end of the first half, and Raphinha scored the fifth goal with a neat dribble and finish after Marc Casado was brought in.
The Catalans were reduced to 10 men when Mbappe beat goalkeeper Szczesny at the other end and brought him down outside the area and a VAR review was overruled.
Rodrigo, who had hit the post earlier, scored a free kick past Szczesny’s substitute Inaki Pena.
Bellingham and Mbappe leave Real Madrid for Madrid
Mbappe brilliantly took down Jude Bellingham, but the England international was denied a fine challenge by Kounde in added time.
The French forward came close to scoring again on his own, but his effort was ignored by Peña.
“He was the best player (Madrid player),” Ancelotti said, citing Mbappe’s improvement since he started his career at the club following his move from Paris Saint-Germain.
Barcelona used midfielder Dani Olmo for the first time since he was registered with the club on a provisional basis, a controversial issue that overshadowed their semi-final clash earlier this week.
But their five-star display provided plenty of other talking points as Barca won a record 15th Spanish Super Cup.
