Barcelona retain the Spanish Super Cup with a 3-2 win over Real Madrid in Jeddah, as Raphinha scores twice in a dramatic Clasico final
BARCELONA retained the Spanish Super Cup with an entertaining 3-2 Clasico win over Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia.
Raphinha struck twice for the Catalans with Robert Lewandowski also on target for a record-extending 16th triumph, despite Frenkie de Jong’s late red card.
The defeat is likely to bring back recent doubts around Madrid coach Xabi Alonso’s future after his arrival in June.
After Raphinha sent Barcelona ahead, Vinicius Junior pulled Madrid level with a fine individual goal.
Lewandowski chipped Barca back in front but Gonzalo Garcia struck deep in stoppage time to send the teams in level at the break.
The battle was decided by a deflected Raphinha effort after 73 minutes, as Barca claimed the fourth trophy of coach Hansi Flick’s reign.
“Whatever way you lose it hurts, but it’s clear that this was a very even game, hotly competed, with a bit of everything,” Alonso told Movistar.
Barca thrashed Madrid 5-2 in last season’s final, also at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium, but this was a far closer affair.
“We’re very happy, another trophy, it’s always a big game against Madrid,” Lewandowski told Movistar.
Flick, who led Barca to four Clasico wins over Madrid last season, opted for Lewandowski up front over Ferran Torres.
It was a scrappy start in the Saudi evening heat, with Barcelona keeping the ball and Madrid sitting deep to resist them.
Barca began to turn up the heat and Raphinha found a breakthrough after 36 minutes with a low strike across Thibaut Courtois.
Madrid pulled level with a superb Vinicius strike, floating in from the left, nutmegging Jules Kounde and slotting home.
Barcelona went back ahead four minutes into first-half stoppage time, with Lewandowski dinking past Courtois.
However Madrid rapidly hit back just before the interval through Gonzalo Garcia.
The second half was a calmer affair, with fewer chances as the teams slowed down.
Barcelona nosed ahead with Raphinha’s shot from outside the box deflecting in off Raul Asencio.
“He’s always there at the right moment,” said Lewandowski of Raphinha’s seventh goal in five games.
Alonso sent on Kylian Mbappe for the last 15 minutes, but the French forward could not get a sight of goal.
De Jong was sent off for a high lunge on Mbappe as Madrid tried to force a penalty shoot-out.
Despite Madrid’s numerical advantage Barca had the best late chance with Marcus Rashford firing wide when through on goal.
Asencio might have grabbed an equaliser at the death but headed straight at goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
The last four winners of the Spanish Super Cup have gone on to claim La Liga and Barcelona will be hoping it proves a platform for success once again.
