Ruthless Barcelona Runs Riot on Rival Real Madrid To Win Spanish Super Cup
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Glorious Gavi put up a brilliant display as Barcelona saw rival Real Madrid in an El Classico Spanish
Super Cup final to give Xavi his first trophy as the club’s coach.
The Spain international is only 18 years old but he has the street smart of a veteran as well as all the
punchy energy of a fearless teenager. He won Fifa’s Golden Boy at the end of last year and he
started 2023 dominating the first final of the Spanish season.
He scored the first and then set-up the second and third as Barcelona took control of the game in a
sparkling first half and finished the job in the second.
The good news for Xavi is that it wasn’t just Gavi who shone, Ronald Aruajo dominated at the back,
Frenkie de Jong was superb in midfield and buzzing around Robert Lewandowski up front Pedri and
Ousmane Dembele ran a tired flat looking Real Madrid ragged.
The opening goal came on 33 minutes and it was an error from Antonio Rudiger that provoked the
chain of events. He was perhaps still groggy after being caught by his own goalkeeper Thibaut
Courtois who came for a high ball and clattered his defender in the process.
It was Rugidger’s loose pass to Eduardo Camavinga that opened the door and Barcelona swarmed
through it. Sergio Busquets won it, Dembele nudged it to Pedri who helped it on to Lewandowski
who teed-up Gavi. He took one touch and then shot left-footed past Marc Andre ter Stegen.
On 45 minutes, it was two and this time roles were reversed. De Jong played a long ball forward to
Gavi who crossed for Lewandowski to finish side-footed past Courtois for his 20th goal this season in
all competitions.
Barcelona deserved their first half advantage. Their first big chance had come on 13 minutes when
Pedri skipped past various challenges. His shot was blocked and when it ran to Lewandowski,
Courtois pushed his shot on to the post. The rebound ran to Alejandro Balde who thrashed it into
the side netting.
Benzema had Madrid’s first chance with Ferland Mendy crossing deep from the left. The
Frenchman’s header went wide. Despite the fatigue of two semi-finals hat went to penalties both
teams were playing with a high intensity. Barcelona had switched Araujo from centre-back to right
back to take care of Vinicius and the tactic had worked well.
Barcelona started the second half as well as they ended the first with Busquets putting Lewandowski
through and Courtois saving. Barcelona were playing at a different speed to Madrid and Carlos
Ancelotti took Modric off after 65 minutes hoping Dani Ceballos would inject some intensity. He
would make the error that led to the third goal.
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