Barcelona thrash Real Madrid 5-2 in Spanish Super Cup

Barcelona came from an early goal down to beat Real Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, scoring four goals in a dominant first half and surviving having their goalkeeper sent off to clinch a record-extending 15th trophy.

Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Alejandro Balde were all on target before halftime, after French forward Kylian Mbappe put Real in front in the fifth minute. Raphinha grabbed another in the second half while Rodrygo scored for Real.

Barcelona put in a clinical display to lift their first trophy in more than a year, having no silverware to show for last season.

“A goal for big clubs is always to win titles, that’s why we work hard. But now we have to show it in the next games,” Hansi Flick told a press conference after winning his first trophy as Barca coach.

“Real made many mistakes, and we knew how to take advantage of them to control the match.”

Barca prevented Real from winning their third title of the campaign, after they won the European Super Cup against Atalanta and beat Mexico’s Pachuca to the Intercontinental Cup last month.

“In the first half we didn’t play football, we hit long balls and that wasn’t the idea,” Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

“I told the players that they can lose games, but not in the way we played in the first half.”

READ ALSO:

• Deby’s party secures majority in Chad election amid boycott
• 10-man Man United knock Arsenal out of FA Cup
• Peter Obi makes u-turn over his comment on alleged national grid collapse

Mbappe earned an early advantage for the Spanish champions, finishing a solo run from around the halfway line with a shot inside the far post.

But what looked like a dream start quickly turned into a nightmare for Ancelotti’s men when Yamal levelled for Barca in the 22nd minute. Striker Lewandowski gave them the lead 14 minutes later from a penalty awarded for Eduardo Camavinga’s foul on Gavi.

Raphinha increased the advantage with a stunning header from a brilliant long cross by Jules Kounde in the 39th minute, and left back Balde added a fourth for Barca deep into stoppage time after nine minutes were added to the first half.

Yamal released Raphinha with a precise pass following Real’s miserable corner kick, before the Brazil forward left the ball to Balde who scored with a simple finish to restore Barcelona’s healthy lead.

Real started the second half with Rodrygo hitting the bar, sparking hopes of the hectic clash taking another turn.
But Raphinha quelled any sniff of a comeback when he made it 5-1 three minutes after the break, having slalomed past the Real defence.

Barca were left with 10 men when goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off for fouling Mbappe in the 56th minute and Rodrygo beat substitute keeper Inaki Pena from the resulting free kick.

But Real, who hold a five-point advantage over Barca in LaLiga after 19 games, had no shots on goal after the penalty until Mbappe’s effort was denied by Pena in stoppage time.

Barcelona also lost defender Inigo Martinez before the half-hour mark through injury, with Ronald Araujo stepping in.

Barcelona and Real met in the competition’s final for third consecutive time, with Ancelotti’s side prevailing last year while Barca lifted the trophy in 2023.

Barcelona booked their spot in the final by winning 2-0 against current Spanish Cup holders Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals before Real beat last year’s Copa del Rey finalists Mallorca 3-0.

Barcelona thrash Real Madrid 5-2 in Spanish Super Cup

10 Man United beat Arsenal on penalties in FA Cup

Joshua Zirkzee scored the winning penalty as a 10-man Manchester United, Man United beat Arsenal in a thrilling encounter to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Man United had to play with 10 men for nearly an hour after Diogo Dalot was shown a second yellow card, having mistimed a tackle on Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino.

Man United took the lead through an excellent Bruno Fernandes goal in the 52nd minute, after Alejandro Garnacho took advantage of a Gabriel slip and crossed for Fernandes to curl the ball into the top corner.

Dalot was sent off in the 61st minute after his clumsy tackle and Arsenal were level just two minutes later when centre-back Gabriel volleyed in from inside the area.

READ ALSO:

• Peter Obi makes u-turn over his comment on alleged national grid collapse
• 6.2m earthquake rattles Mexico
• NAF strikes devastate Bello Turji’s Zamfara stronghold, many terrorists killed

The Gunners then had a massive chance to take the lead when Kai Havertz was adjudged to have been brought down by Harry Maguire in the box and referee Andrew Madley awarded a penalty.

There was a delay in the spot-kick being taken after a melee in the box in which Maguire, Havertz and Gabriel were all booked.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard then stepped up but Altay Bayindir dived to his left to push away the ball and keep the scores level.

Mikel Arteta’s side had big chances through Declan Rice and Havertz again to win the game but could not beat the impressive Bayindir.

Man United were made to defend throughout extra time as Arsenal looked for ways to take the lead with their numerical advantage.

But Arteta’s side could not find a way through and Havertz had his penalty saved by Bayindir before Zirkzee sent David Raya the wrong way to win the shootout.

The result means Arsenal have exited the FA Cup in the third round for the third time in four seasons.

10 Man United beat Arsenal on penalties in FA Cup