Barcelona handed Real Madrid the latest El Clasico in the Supercup final | Football news

Barcelona defeated rival Real Madrid 5-2 in the wild Clasico final of the Spanish Supercup on Sunday in Saudi Arabia to win the first trophy in the Hansi Flick era.

Kylian Mbappe put Madrid ahead but dominant Barcelona responded with a fifth before their goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off in the second half.

Madrid were hoping to avenge their 4-0 home defeat by Barcelona in October’s LaLiga Clasico but were instead left battered and bruised by their arch-rivals in Jeddah.

After Mbappe opened, Lamine Yamal equalized and Robert Lewandowski sent Barcelona ahead from the penalty spot, Raphinha scored and Alejandro Balde was also on the scoresheet.

Rodrygo Goes hit back for Madrid from a free-kick, but they could not make further use of their numerical advantage in a humiliating defeat for the European champions.

“It’s really nice, it’s been a season since we won the trophy. It’s always special, and on top of that, in a Clasico against Real Madrid,” Barcelona defender Jules Kounde told Movistar.

We had a lot of calm and patience, knowing that if we executed the plan we would win.

“I’m very proud and happy with the team… right after the red card, we got together and said we’re going to have to suffer, sit, but we had a big advantage and we can’t let this slip away.”

‘Bad defending’ cost Real Madrid the game

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said that his team’s poor defense was the main reason for the heavy defeat.

“We defended poorly and it cost us the game – they found their goals very easily,” Ancelotti told Movistar.

“We’re sad, like all our fans, it’s disappointing, and we don’t have to hide it… we have to look forward, there’s nothing else we can do.”

Both coaches decided to keep the same squads with which they started in the semi-finals.

Yamal gave Madrid an early warning with a curling shot from the right that forced Thibaut Courtois into a fine save.

The Belgian goalkeeper also made a strong stop to Raphinha’s header after the Brazilian easily eluded Lucas Vazquez.

Despite Barcelona’s first salvo, Real Madrid took the lead in the fifth minute with a brilliant goal by Mbappe on the counterattack.

The French forward, frustrated by multiple offside flags in the league defeat to the Catalans, broke free on halfway after Vinicius won the ball back and, after bursting into space, slotted past Szczesny.

Barcelona comes back after the goal

It took a stunning individual strike from 17-year-old Yamal to equalise, the Spanish winger cutting in from the right before firing low inside the near post in a style similar to former Barca great Lionel Messi, with whom he is often compared.

Barcelona continued to push and went through from Lewandowski’s penalty after Eduardo Camavinga made a late tackle on Gavi.

Raphinha soon added Barcelona’s third header after Kounde’s cross from deep, and they grabbed their fourth before half-time on the break.

Yamal and Raphinha combined and the latter fed Balde, who slotted past Courtois.

Barcelona continued in the same vein after the break, with Raphinha scoring the fifth goal with a fine dribble and finish after being played in by Marc Casado.

The Catalans were reduced to 10 men when Mbappe ran in at the other end, rounded goalkeeper Szczesny, who brought him down outside the penalty area and was sent off after a VAR review.

Rodrygo, who had hit the post earlier, fired a free-kick past Szczesny from substitute Inaki Pena.

Bellingham and Mbappe leave Real questions for Madrid

Mbappe brought out Jude Bellingham brilliantly, but the England international was denied by a brilliant challenge from Kounde in stoppage time.

The French forward also came close to scoring again himself in a fine individual display, but his effort was denied by Pena.

“He was the best [Madrid player],” Ancelotti said, noting the improvement after Mbappe’s smooth start to life at the club following his move from Paris Saint-Germain.

Barcelona brought in midfielder Dani Olmo for his first appearance since being temporarily registered with the club, a controversial issue that overshadowed the semi-final earlier this week.

However, their five-star display offered plenty of other talking points as Barca won a record-long 15th Spanish Super Cup.