Barcelona edge Real Madrid to win Spanish Super Cup

• FC Barcelona secured their 16th Spanish Super Cup title with a dramatic 3-2 win over Real Madrid in Jeddah, fueled by a Raphinha brace and a resilient defense that withstood a late surge from Kylian Mbappé and a 10-man disadvantage.
• The match featured a chaotic first half with four goals, including two in stoppage time, and ended with goalkeeper Joan García making a crucial 97th-minute save to seal manager Hansi Flick’s first trophy of the season.

FC Barcelona were crowned the 2026 Spanish Super Cup champions Sunday night after a frantic 3-2 victory over arch-rivals Real Madrid.

The match, hosted at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium, known as the "Shining Jewel", delivered a high-stakes "El Clásico" that saw lead changes and a frantic conclusion in front of a capacity crowd.

Stoppage-Time Frenzy and Lead Changes

Barcelona controlled the early proceedings, finally breaking the deadlock in the 35th minute when Raphinha beat goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a powerful strike.

However, the closing moments of the first half descended into chaos. Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior equalized in the 45th minute after a brilliant solo effort, only for Robert Lewandowski to restore Barcelona's lead just one minute later (45+1').

In a final twist before the interval, Real Madrid’s young standout Gonzalo García capitalized on a defensive scramble to level the score at 2-2 in the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time.

Raphinha’s Decisive Second

The tactical battle between Flick and Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso intensified in the second half. In the 73rd minute, Raphinha secured his brace and the victory when his right-footed effort from the edge of the area took a slight deflection off defender Raúl Asensio, wrong-footing Courtois to find the back of the net.

Real Madrid pushed for a third equalizer, introducing Kylian Mbappé, who had been doubtful for the match with a knee sprain, late in the game.

Despite the added pressure, Barcelona’s young defense, led by Pau Cubarsí, managed to withstand the assault.

Late Drama and Red Card

The match ended in a tense finale after Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong was shown a straight red card in the 90th minute for a challenge on Mbappé.

Playing with 10 men for five minutes of stoppage time, Barcelona relied on goalkeeper Joan García, who made a magnificent save on an Asensio header in the 97th minute to preserve the lead until the final whistle.

The victory marks Barcelona's 16th Spanish Super Cup title and serves as a pivotal psychological boost as both giants return to the pursuit of the La Liga title and Champions League glory.