The match at King Abdullah Sports City took place dramatically from beginning to end. The two teams played tit-for-tat, creating a feast with 5 goals, of which 4 goals were scored in just over 10 minutes of the first half.
Stepping into the second half, Raphinha played the hero when completing a double, sealing a 3-2 victory for Barcelona. This is also the second consecutive year that Blaugrana has subdued their arch-rival in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Hansi Flick's team also extended their winning streak with 10 consecutive wins in all competitions, in which they always scored at least 2 goals each match.
In the opposite direction, Real Madrid continued to experience bitterness when losing 3 final matches against Barcelona in just one year, including two Super Cup matches and one Copa del Rey match.
Real Madrid entered the game fiercely and almost opened the score early when Vinicius faced Joan Garcia, but the Barcelona goalkeeper promptly saved. However, Barcelona quickly regained the initiative with their familiar ball control style.
Lamine Yamal continuously stirred up the wing, while Raphinha emerged as the most dangerous drill with a series of shots forcing Thibaut Courtois to operate to the maximum.
That pressure was finally concretized in the 36th minute, when Raphinha coldly finished to open the score. Los Blancos showed the bravery of a big team with Vinicius's timely brilliance, who equalized in the 45+2 minute after a classy individual move.
But before the match could cool down, Barcelona regained their advantage just 2 minutes later. Robert Lewandowski broke the offside trap and increased the score to 2-1. Real responded almost immediately, when Gonzalo Garcia brought the match back to the starting line 2-2 from a messy set-piece situation.
The second half witnessed a tense attacking match, accompanied by many collisions and cards. Courtois continuously saved, but was still powerless before the decisive moment in the 76th minute. Raphinha finished, the ball touched Raul Asencio, changed direction, becoming the decisive goal.
Real Madrid rallied in the final minutes, Kylian Mbappe was brought on to increase speed and damage, but Barcelona still stood firm.
The Catalan team for the first time since 2011 successfully defended the Spanish Super Cup title, thereby once again affirming their bravery in big matches.
