Vinicius Jr secured a first-half hat-trick, leading Real Madrid to secure the Spanish Super Cup's final with a convincing 4-1 victory over arch-rivals Barcelona in Saudi Arabia on January 14 (Sunday). Real Madrid's dominance was evident, makingthe El Clasico a challenging contest for last year's champions, Barcelona, who struggled to contain Vinicius Jr and ended the game with 10 men after Ronald Araujo received a second booking in the 71st minute.
Vinicius Jr, entering the game with a modest record of three goals in 15 previous Clasicos and facing a challenging history against Barcelona's Araujo, transformed the narrative within seven minutes. A defensive lapse from Jules Kounde allowed Vinicius to capitalise, racing past the goalkeeper to score. Rodrygo's early run and precise pass set up Vinicius for the second goal within ten minutes. Despite Robert Lewandowski's goal for Barcelona in the 33rd minute, Vinicius extended Real's lead with a penalty in the 39th minute. Rodrygo added Real's fourth in the 64th minute from a rebound. This standout performance coincided well with discussions about Madrid potentially acquiring Kylian Mbappe this summer. Barcelona's troubles deepened when Araujo was sent off in the 71st minute after a second foul on Vinicius. Real Madrid, showcasing one of their best performances against rivals, secured their 13th Super Cup title, avenging last year's final defeat to Barcelona.
Barcelona’s Defence Struggles
Contrasting with their historically effective offside trap in the previous La Liga-winning season, this season's defensive struggles of Barcelona were evident in Madrid's first two goals. Jules Kounde's misjudgment during the through ball and an unclear defensive approach highlighted communication and training issues. The confusion in dealing with the pace of Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr underscored Barcelona's defensive challenges.
Barcelona, eager for a positive result amid a disappointing league season, faced disappointment. Manager Xavi Hernandez expressed, "We played our worst game. We weren't comfortable at any point. Madrid hurt us on the counter. I apologise to the fans because it was hard for us to compete and we showed our worst side," as quoted by BBC.