Barcelona retained the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday night, edging Real Madrid 3-2 in a pulsating El Clasico final as Raphinha struck twice to secure a record-extending 16th title.
The final, played at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium, delivered on its billing with relentless tempo, dramatic swings in momentum and four goals packed into a frenetic first half. Barcelona prevailed despite finishing the match with 10 men following Frenkie de Jong’s late dismissal.
Raphinha opened the scoring in the 36th minute, cutting inside and guiding a low left-footed finish past Thibaut Courtois. Real Madrid responded almost immediately, with Vinícius Júnior producing a moment of individual brilliance to level the match in stoppage time.
Barcelona regained the lead minutes later when Robert Lewandowski timed his run to perfection and lifted a composed finish over Courtois. Yet the advantage lasted only moments, as Gonzalo García equalized at the stroke of halftime, pouncing during a goalmouth scramble to make it 2-2.
The second half began with Real Madrid on the front foot, forcing Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García into a sharp save to deny Vinícius a second goal. As the match grew increasingly physical, both sides exchanged fouls and cautions in a tense midfield battle.
The decisive moment arrived midway through the half when Raphinha struck again. His right-footed effort appeared harmless but took a heavy deflection off defender Raúl Asencio, wrong-footing Courtois and sending the ball into the net to restore Barcelona’s lead.
Real Madrid pressed for an equalizer in the closing stages, particularly after Barcelona were reduced to 10 men when De Jong was sent off for a challenge on Kylian Mbappé. Despite sustained pressure, Madrid were unable to break through as Barcelona defended resolutely to seal the trophy.
The victory extended Barcelona’s winning streak to 10 matches across all competitions, each featuring at least two goals scored, and marked their first Spanish Super Cup triumph since 2011.
Raphinha was named Man of the Match after delivering the decisive performance on the biggest domestic stage, once again proving pivotal in a Clasico final that showcased the enduring intensity of Spanish football’s fiercest rivalry.
ESPN/Flashscore
