Barcelona lifted the Spanish Super Cup after a pulsating 3-2 victory against arch-rivals Real Madrid in a dramatic final played on Sunday at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah. In a match defined by momentum swings, individual brilliance, and late drama, it was Raphinha who emerged as the decisive figure with two crucial goals.
The clash began at a measured pace, with both sides probing cautiously in the early stages. As the first half progressed, Barcelona started to impose themselves, enjoying more possession and finding pockets of space in the final third. Their growing control paid off in the 36th minute when Raphinha burst into the penalty area and drilled a low, precise shot into the far corner to give Barcelona the lead.
Real Madrid responded almost immediately. In the second minute of first-half stoppage time, Vinicius Jr picked up the ball near the halfway line and produced a moment of magic. Accelerating down the flank, he skipped past two Barcelona defenders before calmly finishing into the far corner, leveling the score with a stunning solo effort.
The drama continued relentlessly. Just two minutes later, Robert Lewandowski found space inside the box and delicately chipped the ball over the goalkeeper to restore Barcelona’s advantage. Yet the half still had one more twist. From a Real Madrid corner, Raphinha made a goal-line clearance, but Gonzalo Garcia reacted quickest to the rebound. The ball struck the bar and crossed the line, ensuring the teams went into the break tied at 2-2 after a breathless spell of action.
The second half remained tense and finely balanced until the 73rd minute, when Raphinha struck again. Drifting into a dangerous position at the edge of the area, he slipped slightly as he shot, but a deflection off a Real defender wrong-footed Thibaut Courtois and sent the ball into the net.
Late drama followed as Barcelona were reduced to ten men after Frenkie de Jong was sent off for a foul on Kylian Mbappe as the match moved into stoppage time. Real Madrid pushed hard to exploit their numerical advantage, but goalkeeper Joan Garcia produced crucial saves to deny close-range efforts from Alvaro Carreras and Raul Asencio.
Barcelona held firm to secure their 16th Super Cup title, capping a night of high drama and reaffirming their resilience on one of Spanish football’s biggest stages.
