Madrid lose Spanish Super Cup final

Madrid were beaten in the final of the Spanish Super Cup held in Jeddah. The first half hour of the Clásico was very evenly matched, with hardly any chances. The clearest chance came just before the quarter of an hour mark in a quick transition by Madrid, when Vini Jr found himself one-on-one with Joan García, but the keeper saved well. Barcelona responded 13 minutes later when Raphinha's fierce shot from the edge of the area was punched away by Courtois. The game changed after the hydration break. Gonzalo, chased by Cubarsi, had a chance to open the scoring, but the Madridista's 32nd-minute effort was parried away by Joan García. Raphinha was on target three minutes later with a cross-shot inside the area that Courtois could do nothing about.

A heart-stopping injury time
And just when it looked as if the half-time score would be 1-0, it was a heart-stopping added time, which Vini Jr. started with an outstanding goal in the 47th minute. The Brazilian's run was nothing short of prodigious. He received the ball in midfield and carried it with his foot all the way to the opposition box. There, on the left wing, he got the better of Pedri and Koundé with a beautiful trick that saw him dribble past the Frenchman and then finish with a low shot. Immediately afterwards Lewandowski gave Barcelona the lead again in the 49th minute, but Madrid hit back to draw level in the 51st minute. Rodrygo took the corner and Huijsen's header hit the crossbar after being deflected onto it by Raphinha. Gonzalo pounced on the rebound to fire the ball in off the crossbar.

The second half started at a faster pace than the first and the chances came earlier. Vini Jr. attempted with a powerful shot from the edge of the area in the 51st minute and Rodrygo also had a strike 11 minutes later from inside the area, but Joan García managed to catch the ball. Barcelona also had a chance to pull ahead, but Courtois produced a reflex save to keep out Lamine Yamal's shot from inside the area in the 70th minute. He was unable to do the same three minutes later in a lucky moment for Madrid's opponents. Raphinha slipped as he shot and the ball clipped Asencio before beating Courtois.

Chances
The minutes ticked by and the Madridistas searched for an equaliser. De Jong was sent off in stoppage time for a challenge on Mbappé and Xabi Alonso's men went all out for a goal that might have come with a sharp shot from Carreras inside the area and a header from Asencio, which ended up in the hands of Joan García.