By Martin Graham
Barcelona overcame Real Madrid in a pulsating contest in Jeddah to lift the Spanish Super Cup for a second straight year, edging a five-goal final that swung repeatedly before a tense conclusion.
The triumph represented the 16th Super Cup success in the club’s history and confirmed Hansi Flick’s continued dominance in finals, having also guided his team past the same opponents in last season’s showpiece.
A decisive moment arrived in the 73rd minute when Raphinha’s arcing effort found its way in, settling a match that had been filled with momentum shifts and controversy.
First-half chaos sets the tone
The opening period developed into a whirlwind late on, with three goals arriving in stoppage time to ensure neither side held the upper hand at the interval.
Raphinha struck first in the 36th minute, driving his attempt low into the corner to give Barcelona the advantage.
Real responded swiftly deep into added time as Vinicius Jr. produced a sharp solo run, slipping the ball beyond the goalkeeper to end a long scoring drought stretching back to early October 2025.
Moments later, Robert Lewandowski restored the Catalan lead by guiding his finish in off the post, only for Gonzalo Garcia to level again following a crowded penalty-area scramble that included a header crashing against the crossbar. Barcelona’s bench protested as the whistle arrived amid the chaos.
Second-half drama and late resistance
After the restart, Barcelona again moved ahead, before both sides traded attacks in an increasingly heated atmosphere.
Raphinha’s second goal of the night, a looping strike midway through the half, ultimately proved decisive.
Tensions rose further in stoppage time when Frenkie de Jong received a straight dismissal for a reckless challenge on Kylian Mbappe, who had recently returned from a knee problem and entered from the bench.
Opportunities still came at either end as the clock ran down, but Barcelona survived scares and held firm to protect their narrow lead until the final whistle.
Flick’s flawless record and Madrid questions
The victory extended Barcelona’s winning streak to ten matches, with their last setback coming in November against Chelsea in European competition.
They have also avoided defeat against domestic rivals since late October, opening a four-point cushion over Real Madrid at the summit of La Liga.
All of Flick’s trophies with the club have been secured at Real’s expense, including two Super Cups and a Copa del Rey, while the German coach remains unbeaten across eight finals in his managerial career.
For Real, the loss interrupts a recent run of positive results and may reignite scrutiny around Xabi Alonso’s position, despite an upturn that had briefly eased doubts.
