Barcelona delivered a stunning performance in the Spanish Super Cup final, coming from behind to defeat Real Madrid 5-2 on Sunday. The Catalan giants scored four goals in a dominant first half and overcame the dismissal of their goalkeeper to clinch their record-extending 15th Super Cup title.
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a brilliant solo effort, sprinting from the halfway line before finding the far corner of the net. However, Barcelona responded emphatically, with goals from Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Alejandro Balde before halftime.
Raphinha added his second goal early in the second half, and although Real managed a consolation through Rodrygo, the Blaugrana held firm to lift their first silverware in over a year.
Barcelona’s coach Hansi Flick, celebrating his first trophy with the club, praised his team’s clinical performance.
“For big clubs, the goal is always to win titles. That’s why we work hard,” Flick said. “Real made many mistakes, and we knew how to take advantage of them.”
Barcelona’s victory denied Real Madrid their third title of the campaign, after wins in the European Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup. A frustrated Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid’s coach, admitted his team fell short.
“In the first half, we didn’t play football; we hit long balls, and that wasn’t the idea,” Ancelotti said. “You can lose games, but not in the way we played in the first half.”
After Mbappé’s opener, Barcelona equalised in the 22nd minute through Lamine Yamal, who pounced on a defensive lapse to level the score. Fourteen minutes later, Lewandowski converted a penalty awarded for Eduardo Camavinga’s foul on Gavi, giving Barcelona the lead.
The momentum stayed with Barcelona as Raphinha headed in a sublime cross from Jules Koundé in the 39th minute. In first-half stoppage time, Balde capped a stunning counterattack initiated by Yamal and Raphinha to make it 4-1 heading into the break.
Real Madrid looked to mount a comeback early in the second half, with Rodrygo hitting the crossbar. However, Raphinha’s second goal just three minutes after the break dashed any hopes of a Madrid resurgence. The Brazilian weaved through Madrid’s defence to extend Barcelona’s lead to 5-1.
Barcelona’s Wojciech Szczęsny was sent off in the 56th minute for fouling Mbappé, and substitute goalkeeper Iñaki Peña conceded a free-kick goal to Rodrygo. Despite being down to ten men, Barcelona defended resolutely, with Peña making a crucial stoppage-time save to deny Mbappé.
Barcelona’s triumph came despite losing defender Íñigo Martínez to injury in the first half, with Ronald Araújo stepping in effectively.
This final marked the third consecutive Super Cup showdown between Barcelona and Real Madrid, with Madrid winning last year and Barcelona lifting the trophy in 2023. Barcelona reached the final after a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao, while Real Madrid secured their place by beating Mallorca 3-0.
Barcelona’s emphatic win not only reaffirms their position as Spain’s most successful Super Cup side but also sends a clear message of intent as they continue their campaign under Hansi Flick.
