NEW DELHI: Real Madrid emerged victorious in the Spanish Super Cup final, defeating arch-rivals Barcelona with a resounding 4-1 scoreline in a spectacular display of dominance. Vinicius Jr stole the spotlight with a first-half hat-trick, showcasing his exceptional skills and leaving Barcelona struggling to keep up.
Real Madrid's performance was a masterclass from the start, with Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Vinicius causing constant trouble for Barcelona's defense. Bellingham's magnificent assist set the tone, allowing Vinicius to open the scoring just seven minutes into the match.
Real Madrid continued to press, with Rodrygo delivering a well-timed pass to Vinicius for his second goal in the 10th minute. Despite Barcelona's attempts to respond, a resilient Real side dominated the first half, with Barcelona's Lewandowski pulling one back with a fine strike in the 33rd minute.
The momentum swung back in Real Madrid's favor when defender Araujo's foul on Vinicius earned Real a penalty, duly converted by the Brazilian in the 39th minute, completing his hat-trick and putting Real 3-1 ahead at halftime.
Barcelona's woes continued in the second half, with Rodrygo adding to Real's lead with a goal in the 64th minute from a rebound. Real's complete control over the match left Barcelona without a single shot on target in the second half.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti praised Vinicius's inspired performance, stating, "I didn't expect us to score three so soon, but we took advantage of their high defensive line with an inspired Vinicius tonight."
While Ancelotti acknowledged that the result might seem harsh on Barcelona, who played with 10 men in the latter part of the match due to Araujo's red card, he expressed his satisfaction with Real Madrid's performance.
The defeat adds pressure on Barcelona manager Xavi, with the team currently sitting fourth in LaLiga standings. Xavi apologized to the fans, acknowledging that Barcelona displayed their "worst side" in the match.
(With inputs from Reuters)
