Barcelona’s 3-2 victory in the Spanish Super Cup final over Real Madrid on Sunday night did more than secure silverware in Jeddah — it reinforced a growing sense that momentum in Spain’s greatest rivalry is shifting under Hansi Flick.
In the broader historical context, the result further tightened El Clásico’s long-running balance, as across 263 official meetings in all competitions, Real Madrid now hold 106 victories to Barcelona’s 105, with 52 draws, a gap that once appeared comfortable but is now narrowing rapidly.
Played at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, the final delivered the familiar El Clásico mix of pace, controversy and fine margins.
Barcelona ultimately prevailed thanks to a decisive second-half moment from Raphinha, retaining the Supercopa crown and lifting the trophy for the 16th time, according to competition records.
Barcelona started on the front foot, pressing aggressively and forcing Real Madrid into early defensive discomfort.
Raphinha, the Brazilian winger who would later prove decisive, wasted a clear opportunity in the 35th minute but quickly made amends, drilling a low finish into the corner moments later to give Barça the lead, as reported by BBC Sport.
Madrid struggled for control but found inspiration through Vinícius Júnior.
Early in first-half stoppage time, the Brazilian surged from deep, beating several defenders before finishing past goalkeeper Joan García to level the match — his first goal in 17 appearances, according to Reuters.
Barcelona responded immediately. Pedri threaded a precise pass through Madrid’s defence, allowing Robert Lewandowski to clip a composed finish over Thibaut Courtois and restore the lead.
But the half still had one final twist—a corner led to Dean Huijsen’s header striking the crossbar, with Gonzalo García reacting fastest to force the ball home in the ensuing scramble and make it 2-2 at the break.
Madrid began the second half with renewed intensity, again driven by Vinícius.
He forced García into a sharp save before setting up Rodrygo, whose effort was also denied as Barcelona briefly came under sustained pressure.
The decisive moment arrived in the 73rd minute. Raphinha slipped as he struck his shot, but a deflection off Raúl Asencio wrong-footed Courtois and sent the ball into the net.
The goal was untidy but ultimately decisive in a final defined by fine margins.
The closing stages were frenetic—Frenkie de Jong was shown a straight red card deep into stoppage time for a lunging challenge on substitute Kylian Mbappé, who made a late appearance after recovering from a knee injury.
Late chances followed at both ends, but Barcelona held firm to complete a five-goal thriller.
Speaking after the match, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick praised his team’s discipline and mentality, describing the Supercopa triumph as a significant step in his side’s development.
“This Super Cup is very important for us, and winning it against Real Madrid makes it even bigger,” Flick told reporters.
“The most important thing was to win and impose our style of play. We controlled the game for long periods, fought like a team and showed a great mentality,” he underscored.
Adding: “It was not easy, but everyone battled for the team, for the badge and for the fans. That confidence and unity are the key.”
Raphinha, who scored twice and was named the match’s standout performer, echoed his coach’s assessment and highlighted Barcelona’s tactical discipline in a demanding final.
“We all knew what we had to do to win this game,” the Brazilian winger said in post-match interviews.
“At times we had to defend more than we wanted, but when we had the ball we played very well. I think the final result could even have been more comfortable given what we created.”
The win underlined Barcelona’s strong form under Flick. The German coach has now won eight finals as a manager, including five with Bayern Munich, and all three of his domestic finals with Barcelona have come against Real Madrid.
The victory also extended Barcelona’s overall winning streak to 10 matches and highlighted their strong start to the 2026 season, with the team currently four points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table.
For Real Madrid, the defeat reignited debate around head coach Xabi Alonso, though the performance suggested his players remain competitive.
Injuries to key figures, including Mbappé, Éder Militão, and Antonio Rüdiger, disrupted continuity, yet Madrid’s intensity and Vinícius’ resurgence hinted at resilience rather than collapse.
“We have to move on as soon as possible,” Alonso said, according to Reuters.
“This is the least important of the competitions we play. Injuries are preventing us from finding stability, but we must look forward.”
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois added, “Losing a final against Barcelona is never nice. We deserved more in the second half, but the details went against us today.”
The rivals will meet again in La Liga at Camp Nou on May 10, a fixture that could yet shape the title race.
