The Spanish Super Cup final saw Real Madrid face off against Barcelona in yet another El Clásico! The match was filled with elements such as red cards, penalties, and controversies. Kylian Mbappé scored first for Real Madrid, but unexpectedly, Barcelona unleashed an offensive frenzy, with Lewandowski, Gavi, Balde, and Rafinha scoring five consecutive goals to secure the victory.
Despite Szczęsny's red card and Rodrigo's goal, which added some suspense to the game, Barcelona continuously made substitutions and tactical adjustments to ensure their ultimate triumph. In the end, Real Madrid suffered a crushing 2-5 defeat at the hands of Barcelona, who not only clinched the championship but also secured their second win over Real Madrid this season.
Gavi's high-quality shot marked the beginning of the intense back-and-forth between the two teams. Following this, Gavi crossed from the flank, and Rafinha's close-range header was once again brilliantly saved by Courtois! Subsequently, Real Madrid launched a quick counterattack, with Mbappé breaking through Balde and slotting the ball into the far corner to open the scoring for Real Madrid, 1-0!
Trailing in the score, Barcelona quickly intensified their attack, with Rafinha and Pedri's continuous shots further testing Real Madrid's defense. In the 22nd minute, Lewandowski played a precise through ball from midfield, and Gavi took the ball into the penalty area, cutting inside to score with a low shot into the far corner, leveling the score at 1-1! Despite the lack of power, the shot was extremely accurate, bringing the two teams back to an even playing field. However, just a few minutes later, Inigo suffered an unexpected injury, forcing Araujo to make an emergency substitution.
In the 33rd minute, Camavinga brought down Gavi directly in the penalty area, and after video review, the referee awarded a penalty and gave Camavinga a yellow card! Lewandowski converted the penalty with ease, putting Barcelona ahead 1-2!
Just two minutes later, Barcelona sent a long cross from midfield, and Vázquez made a serious mistake by losing his mark, allowing Rafinha to leap high and head the ball into the net, extending the lead to 1-3! In a short span of less than three minutes, Barcelona further increased their advantage, with Real Madrid's defense showing signs of inattention. With consecutive quick goals conceded, Rüdiger and Camavinga became increasingly anxious and aggressive in their defensive actions. If not for the referee's leniency, Camavinga could have received a second yellow card and been sent off.
In the last minute of stoppage time, Real Madrid made a tactical corner kick error, and Gavi intercepted the ball to launch a quick counterattack. Rafinha provided a through pass, and Balde broke into the penalty area to score, making it 1-4!
With Balde's goal, the referee blew the whistle to end the first half. It can be said that apart from Mbappé's counterattacking goal at the start of the game, Real Madrid had hardly any opportunities to show their potential. On the other hand, Barcelona maintained firm control of the game's rhythm, with Gavi, Lewandowski, and Rafinha's passing and cutting combinations easily penetrating Real Madrid's defense.
For Real Madrid, they seemed to lose their way after taking the lead, constantly being dominated by Barcelona. Mbappé, Bellingham, Vinicius, and Rodrigo were virtually invisible, while defensive players like Camavinga, Tchouaméni, and Rüdiger appeared helpless. Currently trailing by a large margin, Real Madrid has been pushed to the brink. Does Ancelotti have any miraculous strategies to turn around this passive situation?
At the start of the second half, Rodrigo's powerful shot hit the crossbar! However, what no one expected was that in the next play, Barcelona effortlessly passed twice to pierce Real Madrid's defense. Once again, Rafinha drove deep from Vázquez's side, evaded the defenders in the penalty area, and unleashed a powerful shot to score, making it 1-5! The game was effectively over.
In the 56th minute, the match took another turn when goalkeeper Szczęsny was sent off with a direct red card for fouling Mbappé outside the penalty area! Although Barcelona was leading by a large margin, they now had to play with one fewer player.
Subsequently, Barcelona made continuous substitutions, with Peña and Olmo coming on. Rodrigo scored directly from a free-kick, reducing the deficit to 2-5! Ancelotti continued to bring on attacking players, hoping to capitalize on the momentum to quickly reduce the gap, while Barcelona had to stabilize their defense, quickly adapt to the new positioning with one fewer player, and lower the tempo. Ultimately, the match ended with Barcelona securing a resounding victory and the championship.
In this match, Real Madrid's loss was not unjustified, with their defense, including Camavinga, performing disastrously. On the front line, several key attackers were largely absent for extended periods.
As for Mbappé, he was one of the few bright spots in the attack, scoring the opening goal for the team, causing Szczęsny's red card, winning two well-positioned set-pieces, and finally providing Bellingham with an excellent scoring opportunity. Unfortunately, he was ultimately unable to change the fate of the team's crushing defeat.