Barcelona once again asserted their dominance over Real Madrid with a dramatic 3–2 victory in the Spanish Super Cup final played on Sunday in Saudi Arabia.
Raphinha was the standout performer, scoring twice to seal the trophy for Barcelona. His winning goal arrived in the 73rd minute in fortunate circumstances, as his effort deflected off defender Raúl Asencio and wrong-footed goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The Clásico final delivered high drama, particularly before halftime. Three goals were scored during first-half stoppage time, underlining the frantic tempo of the contest. Barcelona had also beaten Madrid 5–2 in last season’s final, with Raphinha scoring twice on that occasion as well.
“We gave all we had,” Raphinha said. “I was emotional at the end of the match. We needed a win like this.”
Historic Success for Barcelona
The victory marked Barcelona’s 16th Spanish Super Cup title, extending their record as the most successful club in the competition’s history. Real Madrid remain second with 13 titles.
Robert Lewandowski also scored for Barcelona, while Madrid’s goals came from Vinícius Júnior and Gonzalo García.
Kylian Mbappé, returning from a knee issue, was introduced in the 76th minute but was unable to help Madrid find an equalizer.
Barcelona captain Ronald Araújo lifted the trophy after returning from an absence that began in November for personal reasons.
Match Summary
- Barcelona opened the scoring in the 36th minute through Raphinha on the counterattack.
- Vinícius Júnior equalized two minutes into first-half added time with a brilliant solo goal, ending a 16-match scoring drought.
- Lewandowski restored Barcelona’s lead shortly after, before Gonzalo García made it 2–2 just before halftime.
- Raphinha’s second goal in the 73rd minute proved decisive.
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong was sent off in second-half stoppage time.
Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso urged calm after the defeat, stressing that the team must quickly refocus on the remainder of the season.
Route to the Final
Barcelona reached the final after a dominant 5–0 win over Athletic Bilbao, while Real Madrid secured their place with a 2–1 victory against Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona also became the first league champion in eight seasons to win the Super Cup, and the first club to retain the title since the side coached by Pep Guardiola achieved the feat between 2010 and 2012.
Future Super Cup Venues
Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Louzán confirmed that the 2027 final will be staged in either Qatar or Kuwait, as Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Cup that year. The competition is set to return to Saudi Arabia in 2028 and remain there until at least 2030.
La Liga Update
Elsewhere in La Liga, teams not involved in the Super Cup continued league action as the season reached its halfway point. Barcelona currently top the table, holding a four-point lead over Real Madrid after 19 matches.