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“Super Clasico” crowns Barcelona and exposes Real Madrid

Barcelona retained the Spanish Super Cup title after edging past their historic rivals Real Madrid with a thrilling 3-2 victory in the “Clasico” final, held at Alinma Stadium at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, in an electric atmosphere that reflected the stature and significance of the occasion.

The match lived up to expectations, with intensity and competitiveness dominating from the opening whistle, as both sides adopted an attacking mindset and showed a clear desire to impose control. Despite the exchange of goals, Barcelona appeared more composed and better organized in the first half, successfully dictating the tempo through midfield dominance, quick passing, and intelligent movement in the attacking third, which unsettled Real Madrid’s defense on several occasions.

Key moments of the match

The Catalan superiority was first translated into an opening goal in the 35th minute, when Brazilian winger Raphinha launched an attack from the left flank, burst into the penalty area, and fired a low driven shot into the bottom-left corner beyond Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Real Madrid did not surrender after conceding, instead raising their intensity and pushing aggressively toward Barcelona’s goal in search of an equalizer, capitalizing on the pace of their attacking players. Just before half-time, Brazilian forward Vinícius Júnior brought his side back into the contest, surging down the left, beating several defenders with superb skill, and unleashing a powerful strike that rippled the net in the 45th minute.

The added time of the first half produced peak drama, with both teams trading goals in a dramatic sequence. In the 45+3 minute, Pedri orchestrated a well-worked Barcelona move, threading a perfectly weighted through ball to Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who finished confidently to restore Barcelona’s lead. Real Madrid responded almost immediately, as young forward Gonzalo García reacted quickest to a rebound off the crossbar and slotted the ball home in the 45+5 minute, sending the teams into the break locked at 2-2.

The second half maintained its intensity, with attacking efforts from both sides, though Barcelona looked calmer in their build-up play, while the Madrid side relied more heavily on rapid counter-attacks.

In the 73rd minute, fortune favored the Catalan side when Raphinha unleashed a powerful shot that struck the leg of defender Marco Asensio and changed direction, wrong-footing Courtois and finding the back of the net.

The closing stages were marked by heightened tension, particularly after Barcelona suffered a late setback with the dismissal of captain Frenkie de Jong in the 90th minute following a strong challenge on France star Kylian Mbappé, forcing the team to finish the match with ten men.

Despite sustained pressure from Real Madrid in the final moments, Barcelona held firm until the final whistle, confirming their retention of the title.

After the match, Barcelona’s German coach Hansi Flick expressed his delight with his players’ performance, stressing that “team spirit” was the decisive factor in securing the trophy. Flick explained that his players fought for the badge and the fans, displaying great determination and strong character in a difficult match against an opponent rich in quality.

Flick singled out Raphinha for special praise, highlighting his continued excellence in Clasico fixtures, and describing him as a player with a strong mentality, high energy, and the ability to transmit positive energy and enthusiasm to his teammates on the pitch.

He also commended defensive duo Eric García and Uruguayan Ronald Araújo, noting the former’s clear development and versatility across multiple positions, as well as the importance of the latter’s return to match action after a long absence, believing that lifting the trophy will provide him with a significant confidence boost.

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