Barcelona clinched back-to-back Spanish Super Cup titles after edging Real Madrid in a dramatic five-goal Clasico final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The victory marked Barcelona’s 16th triumph in the competition and their second consecutive Super Cup success over Los Blancos, having also defeated their rivals in last year’s final.
Brazilian winger Raphinha proved decisive, scoring twice, with his floated effort in the 73rd minute sealing the win after a frenetic contest. He had earlier opened the scoring in the 36th minute, drilling a low shot into the bottom corner.
The first half ended in chaos, with three goals scored in stoppage time. Vinicius Jr levelled for Real Madrid two minutes into added time, nutmegging Jules Kounde before sliding the ball into the far corner to end a 17-game goal drought that stretched back to October 4, 2025.
Barcelona regained the lead shortly after the restart when Robert Lewandowski clipped the ball in off the post in the 49th minute. However, Real responded almost immediately, as Gonzalo Garcia hooked home three minutes later following a goalmouth scramble in which Dean Huijsen’s header struck the crossbar. The goal came amid protests from Barcelona boss Hansi Flick, who believed the half-time whistle should already have been blown.
Tempers flared late on as Frenkie de Jong was shown a straight red card in stoppage time for a lunging challenge on substitute Kylian Mbappe, who had returned from a knee injury.
Both sides had late chances in a tense finale. Marcus Rashford shot wide when through on goal for Barcelona, while Real Madrid’s Alvaro Carreras and Raul Asencio both fired straight at goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
Barcelona ultimately held firm to secure a second successive Super Cup crown for the first time since 2011.
In-form Barcelona start 2026 with silverware
The win extends Barcelona’s winning run to 10 matches in all competitions. Their last defeat came in November, a Champions League loss to Chelsea, and they have not lost to Spanish opposition since October 26, when Real Madrid beat them at the Bernabeu.
The triumph delivers the first silverware of what could become a highly successful season for Flick’s side, who currently sit four points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
It was the fourth consecutive Clasico Super Cup final, and all three of Barcelona’s finals under Flick have now come against Real Madrid two Super Cups and a Copa del Rey. Flick himself maintains a perfect record in finals, winning all eight he has contested, including five during his time at Bayern Munich.
For Real Madrid, the defeat caps a mixed season. Despite winning five straight matches in all competitions, inconsistency in both La Liga and Europe has raised questions about Xabi Alonso’s long-term future at the club questions that may now resurface.
The four-team Spanish Super Cup has been staged in Saudi Arabia since 2020, with the Spanish Football Federation extending the hosting agreement through to 2029.
