FC Barcelona defeated bitter rivals Real Madrid 3-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, January 11, 2026, in a breathless and chaotic encounter that delivered drama until the final whistle. The win, secured by a brace from the resurgent Raphinha, not only provided Barcelona with the season's first piece of silverware but also extended their record haul of Super Cup titles to a commanding 16. A Tactical Battle and First-Half Mayhem The match at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium was a fascinating tactical duel between Hansi Flick's possession-oriented Barcelona and Xabi Alonso's pragmatic Real Madrid, which deployed an uncharacteristically deep, five-man defensive block in the first half. Barcelona dominated possession, with the top seven touch-takers all from the Catalan side, but initially struggled to break down the resilient Madrid defense. The game exploded into life after a mid-half cooling break. Raphinha opened the scoring in the 36th minute with a sharp, low drive. What followed was a frenetic period of first-half stoppage time that saw three goals in just five minutes: Vinícius Júnior equalized in the 45+2nd minute with a brilliant solo effort, nutmegging Jules Kounde and finishing past goalkeeper Joan García. Robert Lewandowski immediately restored Barcelona's lead two minutes later with a clipped finish over Thibaut Courtois. Gonzalo García leveled the score at 2-2 just before the whistle, pouncing on a rebound after a corner kick header struck the crossbar.
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Second-Half Resilience and Decisive Moments The second half was a more even affair, with both teams creating chances. The decisive moment came in the 73rd minute when Raphinha, the tournament's MVP, scored his second goal with a fortunate shot that deflected off defender Raúl Asencio and looped over Courtois. Real Madrid threw everything forward in search of an equalizer, with substitute Kylian Mbappé entering the fray for the final 15 minutes after recovering from a knee issue. The tension boiled over in stoppage time when Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong received a straight red card for a professional foul on Mbappé. Despite playing with 10 men, Barcelona held on, thanks in part to two heroic, point-blank saves by goalkeeper Joan García in the dying moments. The victory marks the first time a team has defended the Spanish Super Cup title since its format change, and the second consecutive year Barcelona has defeated Real Madrid in the final. Key Insights Raphinha's Form: The Brazilian forward has been instrumental for Barcelona, with the brace marking his seventh goal in his last five games across all competitions. Madrid's Struggles: The defeat intensifies scrutiny on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, whose defensive tactics in the first half were heavily criticized in some quarters. La Liga Implications: Barcelona now lead La Liga by four points over Real Madrid at the season's midpoint, and history suggests the Super Cup winner often goes on to claim the league title.
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