MADRID — Real Madrid sought to avenge their previous defeats against Barcelona in the latest installment of their fierce rivalry, but instead faced another disappointing outcome.
On Sunday, in the Spanish Super Cup final held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Madrid suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat at the hands of Barcelona. This loss came on the heels of a 4-0 drubbing they faced at home against the same team in October.
Kylian Mbappé gave Madrid an early lead during his second appearance in a “clasico” match, but Barcelona quickly turned the tide. The Catalan side scored five goals with contributions from Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha—who netted two goals—and Alejandro Balde.
Rodrygo found the net in the second half after Barcelona’s goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny, was sent off for a foul early in that period. Despite the red card, it was a dominant performance by Barcelona, who celebrated their third successive victory of the new year after suffering two defeats to conclude the previous season.
Reflecting on the turnaround, Lewandowski stated, “The Christmas break allowed us to think about our shortcomings. We’re now looking forward to the upcoming matches as we progress toward the season’s end.”
This match marked a slight setback for Madrid after they had enjoyed a five-game winning streak. Madrid’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, expressed disappointment, noting, “It was a tough night. We can’t hide our disappointment, but it’s part of soccer. We need to learn from this experience and focus on what lies ahead.”
Mbappé, who had been tightly marked in their previous clash, played a vital role at King Abdullah Sports City stadium by scoring a brilliant goal just five minutes into the match. He seized the ball just past the halfway line, drove towards the defense, and executed a clever finish. However, Yamal equalized in the 22nd minute, and Lewandowski, who had already scored twice in their earlier meeting, put Barcelona ahead in the 36th minute.
Raphinha followed with two goals—one in the 39th minute and another in the 48th—while Balde added to the tally just before halftime. Rodrygo managed to score from a free kick in the 60th minute after Szczesny’s expulsion for foul play as he attempted to stop a counterattack.
For Barcelona, Lewandowski has tallied 26 goals across all competitions this season, Raphinha has 19, and Yamal has scored eight times. Additionally, they welcomed Spain midfielder Dani Olmo after governmental intervention permitted the club to register him with the league.
This match followed reports of harassment faced by Mallorca fans from Madrid supporters after their semifinal on Thursday, with some personal accounts of inappropriate behavior surfacing.
The Spanish Super Cup has become a lucrative event for the federation and participating clubs since an agreement was made in 2019 to host it in Saudi Arabia.
In more Spanish league news, Atletico Madrid achieved a historic feat by securing 14 consecutive victories, setting a club record with a 1-0 win over Osasuna, placing them at the top of the table midway through the season.
Julián Álvarez’s goal in the 55th minute at Metropolitano Stadium secured this milestone win and positioned Atletico one point ahead of Madrid, while holding a six-point lead over Barcelona. They have remained unbeaten since their last loss to Real Betis on October 27, with eight of their wins occurring in league play.
Simeone, the Atletico coach, commented on the importance of the record, saying, “This streak is significant as it reflects our club’s progress. We have been dedicated to our work.”
Osasuna, meanwhile, continues to struggle, now facing seven league games without a victory, currently sitting in 11th place. In other results from Sunday, Getafe edged out Las Palmas with a 2-1 victory, placing them in 15th and 14th positions, respectively.
