A scoring trident that always poisons Real Madrid: “We played a great game”

Barça of Hansi Flick has a special aura when he sees the person in front of him. Real Madrid. He can stumble in the League or the Champions League, even with some noise, but he becomes a lethal machine in every Clásico. He did it in October at the Bernabéu with a 0-4 in the second half of the duel but in Jeddah he didn’t even have to wait. The game started by warming up Courtoiswho took out two masterful hands, and overcame the superb ride of Mbappé to open the scoring in the 5th minute. The three players who electrified the Blaugrana had not yet made a connection.

Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and the captain Raphinha They are a trident that torments Real Madrid. The three scored that October Saturday to the despair of the Chamartín parish and they did it again before a less passionate crowd that could not stop applauding them. In 17 minutes they heeled the final of the Super Cupwho pushed a little more Bucket before the break so that not even Real Madrid’s comeback epic seemed possible. Since May 2009, they had not conceded more than three goals from the Azulgranas in the first 45 minutes.

Flick’s attacking trident adds 52 goals in all competitions and eight against eternal rivals in just two games. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring with a goal disguised as Leo Messi to tie and undo the Barça gale. It was his second goal in the Classic and his seventh of the season. Lewandowski is much more used to it, although last night he beat Courtois with a penalty to score his third against the Belgian this season. The Pole has 26, having already scored in all competitions.

Mbappé and an expulsion

Raphinha, chosen as the best player in the final, joined the party. For the Brazilian, the bracelet has become a magic potion that increases his statistics. He scored the third by heading a cross ball from Koundé and he stripped the white defense again as soon as the second half started. 19 goals in just half a seasonthree in the two duels against the eternal rival. The three players are poison for Ancelotti’s team.

Sweetened the score Bucket in the last minute of the 10 he added Gil Manzano -very much in need of VAR in this final- to the first half. The young full-back shook off his regret for having been in the photo of the first goal, broken by Mbappé.

It seemed that the Frenchman was going to live his big night and forget those eight offsides and the three one-on-ones with Iñaki Peña in the League match. He achieved it with a goal that makes him scorer in all finals that the whites have played, because they already beat the goal of the Atalanta in the European Super Cup and the Pachuca at the Intercontinental. Then came a stomp from Koundé that overshadowed him and only appeared, again decisively, in the 58th minute when he escaped and Szczesny He stopped him for a foul outside the area. Expulsion of the goalkeeper and goal from Rodrygo in the cold Iñaki Peña.

Next to him he had jumped onto the field Dani Olmo. Flick protected the protagonist of the controversy at the start of the football year and, when he put him to play, no one remembered. Only he sent a message: the gesture of the clock, stopped for him for a few days, and a kiss on the shield showing that he was always willing to wait.

This title, and the way the Barça team achieved it, is a boost to get back into the fight for the League. “It’s a plus of confidence. I’m very proud of what the team has done because for a long time it was difficult for us to overcome when they scored a goal against us. Even after the expulsion we said that we were going to have to suffer despite the advantage and we have known how to do it “he assured Koundé at the end of the match, just after receiving an award for the best assist of the final for his long ball that Raphinha converted to make it 1-3.

“A beauty of great goals”

The Blaugranas were very clear about how to hurt their rival: “We applied the game plan, which was to press because if you leave space for Real Madrid, it becomes difficult. Then we stayed calm and had patience to win the title, which It’s always special and even more so in a Classic.”

Flick agreed with that, having learned the litany of “game by game.” Although the German assures that he is not looking back, he could not help but recognize the good work of his players. “I’m proud because we played a great game. We defended well, even when it wasn’t easy after the red, and we’ve already seen some beautiful goals. It’s amazing to beat Real Madrid twice and win a title,” said the coach.

The match was so special that neither Raphinha, behind a pair of psychedelic sunglasses, nor Ronald Araújowhose doors could be closed by Iñigo Martínez’s injury. Was Ter Stegeninjured, who jumped onto the grass to collect the medal from the president of the RFEF, Rafael Louzanand lift the trophy, which they hope will not be the last of the season. Just in case, John Laporta He did not miss the opportunity to celebrate on the pitch, Super Cup in hand, as if he were just another footballer.