Raphinha Shines As Barcelona Edges Real Madrid To Retain The Spanish Super Cup

‎Barcelona secured back-to-back Spanish Super Cup titles with a thrilling 3–2 win over Real Madrid at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium.

‎The victory also extended their impressive streak of scoring 2+ goals in ten straight matches across all competitions.

‎A Frenetic Start Under the ‘Jewel’ Lights

‎With the King Abdullah Stadium known as the ‘Jewel’ buzzing with anticipation, Real Madrid began on the front foot. Vinícius Júnior posed an immediate threat, forcing Joan García into an early save as Barça struggled to settle into their rhythm.

‎Barcelona eventually reverted to their trademark controlled possession, stitching together fluid passing sequences.

‎Lamine Yamal, once again showing maturity beyond his years, tormented Madrid’s backline, and Álvaro Carreras was fortunate to avoid punishment after a reckless studs-up challenge on the young winger.

‎Raphinha, meanwhile, established himself early as Barça’s sharpest weapon. The Brazilian tested Thibaut Courtois twice first with a direct low strike, then with a curling effort dragged wide following an intricate buildup engineered by Lamine.

‎Raphinha Strikes First, Chaos Follows

‎Madrid failed to heed the warning signs. In the next meaningful attack, Raphinha expertly slid the ball beyond Courtois to give Barcelona the lead their growing dominance deserved.

‎But in classic Clásico fashion, Real Madrid responded almost instantly. Vinícius delivered a moment of individual brilliance in first-half added time, weaving through defenders before firing in the equaliser.

‎Yet the drama was far from over. Just as the half seemed destined to end level, Robert Lewandowski beat the offside trap, showed composure, and lifted the ball over Courtois to restore Barça’s lead.

‎Madrid, however, forced parity once again when Gonzalo García improvised superbly, falling backwards to sweep the ball in after a goalmouth scramble from a corner.

‎The first half ended breathless, chaotic, and utterly captivating.

‎Intensity Rises as Both Teams Search for Control

‎Madrid emerged from the break with renewed purpose. Vinícius nearly fired them ahead, denied only by García’s sharp reflexes.

‎Raphinha responded with a clipped free-kick that sailed marginally over as the match descended into a gritty midfield battle punctuated by fouls, tactical interruptions, and a flurry of yellow cards.

‎Managers Hansi Flick and Xabi Alonso turned to their benches as the match approached its final quarter, each searching for the spark that could tilt the contest.

‎A Wicked Deflection and a Desperate Finish

‎Barcelona nearly reclaimed the lead when Courtois produced an astonishing point-blank stop, but he was rendered helpless moments later.

‎Raphinha’s seemingly tame effort with his weaker right foot took a brutal deflection off Raúl Asencio, wrong-footing the Belgian and restoring Barça’s advantage for the third time.

‎Madrid threw bodies forward, sensing time slipping away. The Catalans suffered a setback when Frenkie de Jong departed after a collision with Kylian Mbappé, raising the tension even further.

‎But Barcelona dug deep, defended with commitment, and held off the late Madrid storm to secure a dramatic and hard-earned victory.

‎For the first time since 2011, Barcelona has successfully defended the Spanish Super Cup title.