Barcelona wins Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia

Early Advantage for Real Madrid
Real Madrid failed to capitalize on an early goal scored by Kylian Mbappé just five minutes into the match. This goal came after a quick counterattack that ended with a dribble past Alejandro Balde, allowing the French star to slot the ball into the net past Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny.

Barcelona's Equalizer
The Catalan team equalized in the 22nd minute after a well-organized quick attack initiated by Jules Koundé. Koundé passed to Robert Lewandowski, who set up Lamine Yamal. Yamal dribbled and shot into the net, beating Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Lewandowski's Penalty
Lewandowski then put Barcelona ahead in the 36th minute with a penalty awarded by VAR. This penalty was given after Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga fouled Barcelona midfielder Gavi.

Extending the Lead
Just three minutes later, Barcelona extended its lead with a third goal from a cross by Koundé. Raphinha met the cross with a powerful header, sending the ball into the net.

Dominating the First Half
Barcelona took advantage of Real Madrid's poor form to add a fourth goal in the 10th minute of stoppage time. Balde scored after receiving a pass from his teammate Raphinha during a quick counterattack, ending the first half with Barcelona leading 4-1.

Exciting Second Half
The second half was very exciting, starting with a missed opportunity from Real Madrid's Rodrigo Ghos. He shot the ball, hitting the right post.

Raphinha's Second Goal
Following a quick attack from Barcelona, Gavi played a through ball to Raphinha, who broke the offside trap. He raced from midfield, dribbled, and shot into the net, scoring his second goal and Barcelona's fifth in the 48th minute.

Szczęsny's Red Card
The excitement continued when Szczęsny received a red card in the 56th minute after fouling Mbappé, who was one-on-one with the goal.

Emergency Substitution
Barcelona's German coach Hansi Flick was forced to make an emergency substitution, bringing in substitute goalkeeper Iñaki Peña for midfielder Gavi after Szczęsny's dismissal.

Real Madrid's Response
In Peña's first test, he conceded a second goal for Real Madrid in the 60th minute. Rodrigo scored from a free kick that he struck powerfully into the net after the ball hit the left post.

Missed Opportunity for Real Madrid
Real Madrid, led by Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, failed to take advantage of their opponent's numerical disadvantage for over half an hour. This resulted in a second defeat to their traditional rival this season, following their 0-4 loss in the first round of the La Liga Clasico at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

Barcelona's Triumph
Barcelona avenged their loss to Real Madrid, which ended 1-4 in last season's domestic Super Cup final. They won the title for the 15th time in their history, reinforcing their status as the most successful team in this competition compared to Real Madrid's 13 titles.

Tied Titles in Saudi Arabia
The two teams are now tied in their direct encounters in Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup, with each having won two titles: Real Madrid in 2022 and 2024, while Barcelona lifted the cup in 2023 and 2025.