Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 11, 2026 (Naija247news) — Brazilian winger Raphinha scored twice as Barcelona edged arch-rivals Real Madrid 3–2 in a thrilling El Clásico final on Sunday to retain the Supercopa de España in Saudi Arabia, securing their first trophy of the 2025/2026 season.
Raphinha struck the decisive goal in the 73rd minute, sealing a third consecutive final victory for Barcelona over Madrid under coach Hansi Flick, following last season’s Supercopa and Copa del Rey triumphs.
The final lived up to its billing, with a dramatic first half producing four goals, including three in stoppage time. Raphinha opened the scoring in the 36th minute before Vinícius Júnior ended his long goal drought by leveling for Madrid. Robert Lewandowski quickly restored Barcelona’s lead, but Gonzalo García ensured parity heading into the break.
Real Madrid introduced Kylian Mbappé in the second half after his return from a knee injury, but Barcelona maintained control of proceedings, dominating possession and creating clearer chances. Their pressure paid off when Raphinha’s second goal — slightly deflected — beat Thibaut Courtois to hand Barça the trophy.
Madrid pushed hard for a late equaliser, but Álvaro Carreras and Raúl Asencio squandered clear chances, even after Barcelona were reduced to 10 men following Frenkie de Jong’s dismissal.
Statistics underlined Barcelona’s superiority, as they enjoyed nearly 70 percent possession and recorded a higher expected goals tally, reflecting their dominance despite Madrid’s resilience on the counterattack.
The victory further cements Barcelona’s recent supremacy in El Clásico encounters and extends Raphinha’s remarkable record against Madrid, with the winger now boasting seven goals and three assists in his last six appearances against Los Blancos.
For Real Madrid, Vinícius Júnior’s stunning goal offered a rare bright spot, ending a 16-game scoring drought, though it proved insufficient to prevent defeat.
Barcelona’s triumph reinforces their status as title contenders across competitions this season, while questions continue to swirl around Madrid’s tactical approach and consistency under coach Xabi Alonso
Emman Tochi ✔
Emma Tochi is Naija247news Media Northern Bureau Chief, he's based in FCT Abuja. He overseas the northern operations of this business media
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