Raphinha double sinks Real Madrid as Barcelona retain Spanish Super Cup

Raphinha double sinks Real Madrid as Barcelona retain Spanish Super Cup

Barcelona retained the Spanish Super Cup after an entertaining 3-2 Clásico victory over Real Madrid in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday.

Raphinha scored twice for the Catalans, with Robert Lewandowski also on target, as Barcelona defeated Xabi Alonso’s side to claim a record-extending 16th Super Cup title.

The win came despite a late red card for Frenkie de Jong following a foul on Kylian Mbappé.

Read Also: Barcelona crush Real Madrid 5-2 to win Spanish Super Cup

Mbappé, recovering from a knee sprain, could only feature in the closing stages as a substitute. The defeat is likely to reignite scrutiny over Alonso’s future, with the Madrid coach still searching for his first trophy since taking charge in June.

Raphinha opened the scoring for Barcelona, but Vinícius Júnior quickly restored parity with a fine individual effort, sparking a frenetic end to the first half in Jeddah.

Lewandowski then chipped Barcelona back in front, only for Gonzalo García to equalise deep into stoppage time, sending both sides into the break level.

The decisive moment arrived in the 73rd minute when a deflected Raphinha strike beat Thibaut Courtois, sealing Barcelona’s fourth trophy under coach Hansi Flick. For Alonso, the loss ended Real Madrid’s run of five consecutive wins across all competitions.

“Whatever way you lose it hurts, but it’s clear this was a very even game, hotly contested, with a bit of everything,” Alonso told Movistar.

“We were very close to equalising and fought until the end, and I have to congratulate Barca.”

Barcelona had thrashed Madrid 5-2 in last season’s final at the same venue, but this encounter proved far tighter.

“We’re very happy for another trophy. It’s always a big game against Madrid,” Lewandowski said. “We played well in both halves, wanted more goals, but winning is what matters.”

Head of Sports at BusinessDay Media, a seasoned Digital Content Producer, and FIFA/CAF Accredited Journalist with over a decade of sports reporting.Has a deep understanding of the Nigerian and global sports landscape and skills in delivering comprehensive and insightful sports content.

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