Barcelona recovered from a spectacular opening aim by Kylian Mbappe and the 56th-minute dismissal of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to thrash Actual Madrid and win the Spanish Tremendous Cup at Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports activities Metropolis.
Madrid striker Mbappe charged nearly half the size of the pitch to attain his first aim within the fixture generally known as El Clasico, however Lamine Yamal equalised 17 minutes later, dashing on to Robert Lewandowski’s intelligent first-time move and slotting coolly in after getting into the field.
Lewandowski transformed a penalty, Raphinha buried an emphatic header from Jules Kounde’s cross and Alejandro Balde accomplished a superb counter-attack as Hansi Flick’s aspect established a 4-1 half-time lead, with the Brazil winger firing in once more three minutes after the break.
When Szczesny was proven a straight crimson card for denying Mbappe a transparent scoring alternative, midfielder Gavi made manner to ensure that Inaki Pena – who was dropped earlier than Barca’s semi-final for lateness – to come back on in aim.
Pena barely had time to settle earlier than Rodrygo replied for Madrid with a chic free-kick. It proved solely a modest comfort because the reigning European champions’ five-game profitable run got here to an finish and Barca gained fashionable revenge for his or her 4-1 defeat in final season’s closing.
The primary half, in a single picture. #ElClásico pic.twitter.com/DVH74c22CX
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 12, 2025
Barcelona storm to Spanish Tremendous Cup glory
Barcelona have been on a remarkably poor run towards Spanish opponents since profitable 4-0 at Madrid in La Liga on October 26 and beating Espanyol 3-1 at residence every week later.
Flick’s workforce had been coasting on the prime of the desk at that time of his first season in cost, however 4 defeats and one win in seven league video games have made outcomes like these doubtlessly essential to his gamers’ confidence.
That they recovered after Mbappe’s dazzling run and trickery for the opener made it all of the extra spectacular, and their depleted ranks mattered little due to the three-goal cushion that they had created via Balde’s aim 10 minutes into first-half added time.
On his second sport again from damage after scoring within the 2-0 semi-final win over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, Yamal collected a stray move close to the sting of his personal penalty space and located Raphinha as a part of a transfer spanning a lot of the size of the pitch and ending in Balde discovering the online.
🏆 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/oNI37RtVUZ
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 12, 2025
Madrid, Barcelona fixtures
Madrid, who beat Mallorca 3-0 of their semi-final, are 5 factors forward of Barcelona in second in La Liga, with leaders Atletico Madrid some extent additional forward.
There’s now a fast turnaround for each groups after their journeys to Saudi Arabia for the deciding Tremendous Cup video games, beginning when Barca host Actual Betis within the Copa del Rey final 16 on Wednesday (8.30pm GMT).
Madrid are at residence to Celta Vigo a day later (8.30pm), with 14th-placed Las Palmas their guests within the league on Sunday (3.15pm).
On Saturday (8pm), Barcelona will goal their first league victory since December 3 after they journey to Fifteenth-placed Getafe, who’ve scored the joint-fewest objectives within the division.
