Raphinha once again proved decisive on the biggest domestic stage as Barcelona edged Real Madrid 3-2 in a breathtaking Spanish Super Cup final in Jeddah, securing a record-extending 16th title.
The Brazilian winger scored twice at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium on Sunday night, replicating his feat from last year’s final when Barcelona swept aside Madrid 5-2. This time, the margin was far finer, but the significance felt just as great after a contest that swung repeatedly.
“We gave all we had,” Raphinha said. “I was emotional at the end of the match. We needed a win like this.”
After an even opening, Barcelona began to exert greater control as the first half wore on, patiently moving the ball and finding space between Madrid’s lines. Their pressure was rewarded in the 36th minute when Raphinha burst into the penalty area and drove a low shot across Thibaut Courtois into the far corner.
Madrid responded spectacularly. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Vinicius Jr collected the ball near the halfway line, accelerated down the left flank, skipped past two defenders and finished emphatically into the far corner to level the score with a stunning solo effort.
The drama, however, was only just beginning. Two minutes later, Robert Lewandowski restored Barcelona’s lead, lifting a delicate chip over Courtois after being afforded too much space in the area. Yet even that was not the final act before the interval.
From a Madrid corner, Raphinha made a clearance off the line, but Gonzalo Garcia reacted quickest to the rebound, with the ball striking both the crossbar and the post before crossing the line to make it 2-2 at the break.
The second half was tense and attritional, with chances harder to come by as both sides became more cautious. It was Raphinha who broke the deadlock again in the 73rd minute, drifting into space on the edge of the box before shooting. Slipping as he struck the ball, his effort took a deflection off a Madrid defender, wrong-footed Courtois and nestled into the net.
Madrid pushed hard in the closing stages and had two gilt-edged chances to equalise in added time, but failed to take advantage. Barcelona’s task became even more demanding when Frenkie de Jong was sent off after fouling Kylian Mbappe as the temperature on the pitch rose sharply.
Despite their numerical advantage, Madrid could not find a way through. Alvaro Carreras and Franco Mastantuono both saw close-range efforts superbly saved by goalkeeper Joan Garcia, whose late interventions preserved Barcelona’s slender lead.
Madrid coach Xabi Alonso struck a pragmatic tone afterwards. “We have to turn the page as soon as possible,” he said. “It’s just one game, one competition, and it’s the least important one we have. We have to look ahead, recover our morale, and move on.”
For Barcelona, the victory carried historical weight. They became the first league champions in eight seasons to win the Spanish Super Cup and the first team to retain the trophy since Pep Guardiola’s side claimed three consecutive titles between 2010 and 2012.
Off the pitch, Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Louzan confirmed that next year’s final will be staged in either Qatar or Kuwait, with Saudi Arabia hosting the Asian Cup, before the Super Cup returns to the kingdom in 2028 through to at least 2030.
