Barcelona defeat Real Madrid in five-goal thriller to win Spanish Super Cup

Barcelona secured back-to-back Spanish Super Cup titles after edging out arch-rivals Real Madrid 3-2 in a pulsating final played in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The victory marked a 16th Super Cup triumph for Barcelona and confirmed their dominance over Los Blancos in the competition, having also beaten them in last year’s final. Brazilian winger Raphinha was the hero on the night, scoring twice, including the decisive goal in the 73rd minute. His floated effort proved enough to separate the two sides after a dramatic encounter that saw three goals scored in a frantic spell of first-half stoppage time. Barcelona took the lead in the 36th minute when Raphinha drilled a low shot into the bottom corner. Real Madrid responded almost immediately in added time as Vinícius Júnior produced a dazzling solo run, nutmegging Jules Koundé before sliding the ball into the far corner to end a 17-game goal drought that stretched back to October 4, 2025. The drama continued as Robert Lewandowski restored Barcelona’s lead in the 49th minute, clipping a fine effort in off the post. However, Madrid were level again just three minutes later when Gonzalo García capitalised on a goalmouth scramble, hooking the ball home after Dean Huijsen’s header struck the crossbar. Raphinha then struck again in the 73rd minute, calmly floating the ball into the net to give Hansi Flick’s side the advantage for a second time, a lead they would not relinquish. The closing stages were tense, with Frenkie de Jong sent off in stoppage time after a lunging challenge on Kylian Mbappé, who had come on as a substitute following a knee injury. Both sides had late chances, with Marcus Rashford missing a clear opportunity for Barcelona, while Álvaro Carreras and Raúl Asencio tested goalkeeper Joan García at the other end. Despite the pressure, Barcelona held firm to seal a famous victory and claim consecutive Super Cup titles for the first time since 2011, extending their supremacy over their historic rivals on the big stage.