Barcelona was eager to leave and return home by the end, as any remaining hope had long disappeared. On the other hand, Real Madrid would have preferred to stay longer to continue playing excellently and celebrate their victory over their biggest competitors, foreshadowing more successes to come.
Vinícius Júnior scored a hat-trick in the first half, with two goals within the first 10 minutes, leading his team to a comfortable 4-1 win and securing the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
In the 21st century, only three players have achieved a hat-trick in a clásico match: Luis Suárez, Lionel Messi, and Karim Benzema. Surprisingly, even Cristiano Ronaldo has not accomplished this feat. However, Vinícius honored Ronaldo’s legacy by celebrating his own goals in a similar manner at ‘Al-Awwal Park, Ronaldo’s new home. It was a symbolic gesture on a night when Vinícius made his own mark in the clásico.
Jude Bellingham also achieved a notable milestone by winning his first trophy at Madrid. It is highly likely that this will not be his last or most significant trophy of the season. In reality, he probably anticipated this success, but perhaps not so effortlessly and quickly.
If Barcelona’s early defeat before reaching double digits was unexpected, it cannot be attributed to chance or a rare event. Instead, it highlights Madrid’s superiority and reveals a persistent issue for Barcelona – a recurring system failure that occurred at the worst possible time and against a tough opponent.
Xavi Hernández’s team gave up the first goal in just 17 seconds against Granada, 18 seconds against Alavés, and 75 seconds against Antwerp. They also allowed the first goal in the eighth, 12th, and 12th minutes against Mallorca, Girona, and Las Palmas, and in the 19th minute against Celta de Vigo. Both Porto and Shaktar Donetsk scored the opening goal in the first half.
Barcelona fell behind early, with the score reaching 1-0 before seven minutes had passed. By halftime, they had let in a third goal, overshadowing the hope brought by Robert Lewandowski’s goal, which was scored in between Madrid’s second and third goals. This quickly proved to be a false sense of security, much like their defense.
As Andreas Christensen moved away from the defensive line to help Frenkie de Jong close in on the opponent, Bellingham skillfully delivered a pass into the open space beyond Jules Koundé’s foot. This allowed Vinícius to make a speedy run towards the goal for the first point. With no one else around, the Brazilian successfully maneuvered past Iñaki Peña and scored, celebrating with a Siuuu.
As soon as the final ‘u’ had disappeared, Dani Carvajal passed to Rodrygo who then assisted him in scoring. This was followed by another iconic celebration from Ronaldo, this time pointing to the team’s badge and the field. He was declaring his presence.
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He continued to do so multiple times. This was the third time Madrid had a one-on-one opportunity. Vinícius was unstoppable. Barcelona’s defense was disorganized and unable to maintain control. Despite having possession at times, they were still vulnerable and exposed. Playing with such a high defensive line is already risky, but doing so against Madrid without Gavi, coordination, or intensity is even more reckless.
Barcelona may have been hopeful when Ferland Mendy’s header landed and Lewandowski cleanly struck a volley at the 31st minute – especially considering that 27 of their 41 league points had been earned in the last 15 minutes of games. However, their past comebacks were not against Madrid and this one did not have a lasting impact. After Ronald Araújo fouled Vinícius and he converted the penalty, Madrid extended their lead to 3-1 before the first half ended.
Barcelona was desperate for some sort of breakthrough, but unfortunately, they were lacking in many areas. Right before halftime, Pedri managed to get a shot off but it went wide, and that was pretty much all they had to show for their efforts. On the other hand, Madrid seemed content with their lead and occasionally showed flashes of excitement, much to the delight of their fans. They were in no rush and seemed very confident. Bellingham was dominating the game with his impressive footwork and strength, leaving his opponents unable to keep up. The fourth goal came in the 61st minute, with Rodrygo scoring off of Vinícius’s pass that was meant for Bellingham.
Barcelona managed to maintain their composure and minimize the consequences, which were already severe, despite Araújo being sent off. However, Madrid was not satisfied and continued to push for more. Tchouaméni’s pass to Bellingham created another opportunity, but Peña prevented a goal. Brahim Díaz’s impressive run led to another chance for Bellingham, but Koundé cleared the shot off the line. Although there were no further goals, the game was essentially over, a conclusion that was evident from the beginning.
Source: theguardian.com
