FC Barcelona, champion of the Spanish Super Cup
FC Barcelona defeated Real Madrid this Sunday at the King Fahd International in Riyadh to win the Spanish Super Cup and end the thirst for titles in the Barça squad, the first in the ‘Xavi era’, with goals from Gavi, Lewandowski and Pedro.
Xavi Hernández’s team imposed their hunger on a defending champion who was unsuccessful in attack or defense. The whites gave away their eternal rival’s goals and found themselves surpassed by a Barça that won a title again, as they had not done since the 2021 Copa del Rey, and is filled with confidence for the rest of the season. Benzema made up the result in the last play.
The goals from Gavi and Lewandowski, in the first half, and Pedri, already in the second, with a lot of collaboration from the rival defense, gave Barça a title that they had not tasted since the 2021 Copa del Rey.
At the King Fahd International, Carlo Ancelotti’s team opted for advanced pressure that at times drowned out the culé ball. Even so, the idea of the Terrassa coach to put four midfielders, as in the Metropolitan, and place Araujo in the right lane to stop Vinicius ended up paying off in the form of possession and goals.
Frantic start of the clash that initially left an exchange of blows as if it were a boxing match. Precisely in one of them Barcelona found the prize of the goal after an error by the Madrid defense. Rüdiger gave away a ball up front that Lewandowski ended up filtering for Gavi inside the area. The youth player put together a left-footed shot to beat Courtois and sign the 0-1.
Madrid, imprecise in defense and missing in attack
Good minutes from the culé team that did not stop trying again and again against a Real Madrid unable to react. Inaccurate in defense and missing in attack, Carlo Ancelotti’s team couldn’t do anything other than watch how the Catalans put the second before the break. Unlike in the first, this time it was Gavi who put a ball on a tray for Lewandowski to sentence before the end of the first half.
The Italian coach decided to move the bench after the restart to bring on Rodrygo to the detriment of a much outmatched Camavinga. Even so, the good work of Barcelona was a slab for the fragile white defense. Once again Courtois came to the rescue with another merit save to Dembélé, who looked for the cross shot, but ran into the saving foot of the Belgian goalkeeper.
Unlike many occasions this season, this time Xavi Hernández’s team was able to save the result and even extend it after an offensive football recital. Thus, before the 70 minute mark was up, Gavi took advantage of another error in the circulation of the Madrid ball to place a measured cross to the far post where Pedri only had to push it.
Third blow from Barcelona, who, aware of his income, opted for a more conservative type of game in the final moments. Real Madrid wanted to take advantage of it and although they warned first with a good shot from Rodrygo that Ter Stegen covered, they found the prize at the last minute of discount with a goal from Benzema that without significance in the result only served to make up the bad image shown during the ninety minutes past.
Fourteenth Spanish Super Cup
FC Barcelona has achieved its fourteenth Spanish Super Cup in history and has extended its advantage over the white team to two titles.
The Barça team got its first crown under the current final phase competition format with four teams and the second obtained outside of Spain, since they won the 2018 Super Cup, played in a single match in Tangier (Morocco) against Sevilla (2- 1), with a goal from Frenchman Ousmane Dembele at 78 minutes.
That was the last Super Cup that Barcelona had won, which achieved its other titles in the years 1983, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016.
Gavi, best player in the final
The Spanish Gavi, Barcelona footballer, has been named the best player in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, in which he scored the first goal and provided two assists.