Barcelona produced a dominant 5-1 victory over arch-rivals Real Madrid to secure the Spanish Super Cup trophy. Despite conceding early, the Catalan giants never threw the towel in and secured one of their most memorable wins in recent times.
Here are our Player Ratings from the enthralling encounter.
Wojciech Szczesny: 5
Szczesny did not do much wrong in the first half, with a few solid saves and well-timed advancements off his line. Sadly, his impulse to clear the danger pre-maturely backfired after he fouled Mbappe and earned a deserved red card.
Pau Cubarsi: 9
The attackers stole the show, but Cubarsi was a cut above in defense. He seamlessly played out of Madrid’s pressure and would destroy their momentum with habitual line-breakers. He was alert in dealing with them in transition too.
Inigo Martinez: 7.5
Inigo looked solid for the 30 minutes he was on the pitch, but unfortunately, he came off due to an injury. Thankfully, Ronald Araujo barely allowed his absence to be felt.
Jules Kounde: 9
Kounde defended well against Vinicius and Mbappe, despite occasional lapses. Crucially, his up-field support stood out, exemplified by his connection with Yamal and a superb cross for Raphinha.
Alejandro Balde: 9
Balde’s start to the game was far from inspiring as he struggled to keep Mbappe at bay or close down spaces on the left flank. However, he made amends with a great goal and defended diligently in the second half.
Marc Casado: 9
Casado’s error enabled Mbappe to score the opener early on. Yet, he grew into the game really well. Covered a lot of distance, niftily evaded the press, and won several duels. Importantly, assisted Raphinha with a dime.
Pedri Gonzalez: 8.5
Pedri was a major contributor to Barcelona’s controlled spells of possession. His pausa under pressure frustrated Madrid and he was well-positioned to reclaim the ball. His physicality and pressing off the ball was also highly impressive, especially in the second half.
Pablo Gavira: 8
Troubled Real Madrid in pockets and on the half-turn. His involvement in quick one-twos allowed Barcelona to circulate the ball fluently. Unsurprisingly, Gavi also worked his socks off without the ball. The three-man midfield simply aided Barcelona’s approach.
Lamine Yamal: 9.5
Owning the occasion once more, Yamal toyed with the Madrid defense before scoring Barcelona’s pivotal equalizer. Berthed in a more central role, he won most of his dribbles and created a couple of great chances.
Robert Lewandowski: 9.5
Lewa was remarkably sharp with his first touch, seamlessly supporting Barca’s swift transitions. His flicks and hold-up play denied Madrid a foothold in the game. He scored from the spot and assisted Yamal.
Raphinha: 10
Two incredible goals and a fine assist earned Raphinha the man-of-the-match award, as he came up clutch in yet another big game. Everything he touches turns to gold this season.
