Classy Barcelona comfortably beat Real Madrid to win Spanish Super Cup

Barcelona ease past Real Madrid to win Spanish Super Cup 

Barcelona was crowned Spanish Super Cup champions after goals from Gavi, Robert Lewandowski and Pedri earned a 3-1 win over Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia. Barcelona recorded a 3-1 win over Real Madrid in El Clasico to secure the Spanish Super Cup for the 14th time in their history. Xavi’s team beat Real Betis in the semi-finals to progress to Sunday’s showpiece event, while Real Madrid, who had an extra day of rest, navigated their way past Valencia in the final four.

 Barcelona is three points clear of Carlo Ancelotti’s defending champions at the top of La Liga – secured their first trophy under Xavi, taking advantage of three mistakes to score.

They took the lead in the 33rd minute after the Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger passed across his own area to Barça’s Sergio Busquets, who began a move that ended with Gavi scoring with a precise left-foot strike.

Lewandowski extended the lead 12 minutes later on the counter when Frenkie de Jong found Gavi, who ghosted in behind Madrid’s defensive line. He sprinted through the left channel before putting it on a plate for the Polish striker, who tapped into the back of the empty net.

Madrid, who had no shots on target in the first half, spent most of the second in panic mode, trying to avoid a bigger defeat. Yet, once again a costly mistake allowed Barcelona to score. The substitute Dani Ceballos lost the ball in midfield and Gavi sprinted forward and crossed for Pedri to fire point-black into the empty net.

Karim Benzema scored a consolation goal in added time, striking home on the rebound after Marc-André ter Stegen repelled his first attempt.

“[To say] ‘sporting humiliation’ would be a lack of respect,” Ancelotti said in his postmatch news conference. “We lost against Barcelona, just like we beat them in the league [3-1 on Oct. 16]. They played better and deserved to win, that’s all.

“The mistakes we made decided the game. We didn’t play the ball out well, they hit us twice on the counter and the game changed. It wasn’t a lack of attitude; it was individual mistakes.”

“It isn’t a good moment for the team. We have to hang on,” Ancelotti said. “This team has the quality to come back and be competitive in all competitions. We’re hurting because Madrid usually wins finals.

Barcelona proved to be far too strong for their bitter rivals in the final, though, with Gavi, Robert Lewandowski and Pedri on the scoresheet in a comfortable success for the Catalan giants while Real Madrid have now lost two of their last three matches.

Barcelona, meanwhile, are unbeaten in all competitions since the end of October, when they suffered a 3-0 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Both sides will now switch their attention to the Copa del Rey, with Barcelona facing Ceuta in the round of 16 on Thursday, while Real Madrid will take on fellow La Liga outfit Villarreal on the same night.