
On January 12, 2025, FC Barcelona delivered a commanding performance to secure their 15th Supercopa de España title, defeating Real Madrid 5-2 in the final held at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This victory not only marked Barcelona’s first trophy under new coach Hansi Flick but also underscored their resurgence after a nearly two-year title drought.
Real Madrid began assertively, with Kylian Mbappé opening the scoring in the 5th minute. However, Barcelona responded decisively. Lamine Yamal equalized in the 22nd minute, followed by a penalty converted by Robert Lewandowski in the 36th minute. Raphinha increased the advantage with a header in the 39th minute, and Alejandro Balde added a fourth goal deep into first-half stoppage time, giving Barcelona a 4-1 lead at halftime.
Early in the second half, Raphinha scored again in the 48th minute, extending the lead to 5-1. Despite a red card for goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny in the 56th minute, reducing Barcelona to ten men, they maintained control, as reported by the New York Times. Real Madrid managed a goal by Rodrygo in the 60th minute, but it was insufficient to challenge Barcelona’s dominance.
This victory marks Barcelona’s first trophy under coach Hansi Flick and breaks a nearly two-year title drought. Raphinha’s exceptional performance earned him the Man of the Match award. After the match, Hansi Flick expressed his delight in the post-match press conference, highlighting the significance of the victory for everyone involved with the club. “I’m really proud,” Flick said. “Proud for the team, the staff, the club, the fans, everyone. Today was an unbelievable match. For the coaches, not so much! But for the fans it’s really fantastic,” as reported by ESPN.
According to CBS Sports, the match highlighted defensive lapses in Real Madrid’s lineup, with critics pointing to a lack of defensive commitment from players such as Antonio Rudiger, Aureline Tchouameni, and Lucas Vazquez.
“We have to look at the reality. We didn’t defend well,” a disappointed Carlo Ancelotti said in his post-match news conference, as reported by ESPN. “We tried to press high and defend with a low block. They scored the goals easily, and we didn’t work hard, collectively or individually. We lost a lot of duels. That makes us sad and disappointed, but that’s football. We have to take that sadness home. I understand the sadness of our fans. We feel that, but we have to look forward, and prepare for the next game, and recover the good form we’d been in.”
This decisive win not only adds to Barcelona’s trophy cabinet but also sets a positive tone for the remainder of the season under Flick’s leadership. Conversely, Real Madrid faces pressing questions about their defensive strategies and overall team cohesion as they move forward.