Real Madrid dominates Barcelona 4-1 in Super Cup

Real Madrid outclassed Barcelona in every aspect, capitalizing on a high defensive line and leaving Barcelona with 10 players after Ronald Araujo received a red card for his second foul on Vinicius in the 71st minute.

Real Madrid's coach, Carlo Ancelotti, commented to Movistar Plus, "I didn't expect us to score three so quickly. We exploited their high defensive line with an inspired Vinicius tonight. It was a tough match, and the result was somewhat flattering. At 3-1, Barcelona was still in the game, but they lost momentum after the fourth goal. We're delighted with the win."

Ancelotti's assessment was generous, considering Barcelona's dismal performance, especially in the second half, when they failed to register a single shot on target.

Real Madrid's dominance began early, with Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Vinicius causing havoc for Barcelona's stretched defense.

Real's opening goal came seven minutes into the game, thanks to a brilliant assist from Bellingham. The England midfielder, surrounded by three players, managed a stunning pass to Vinicius, who breezed past the goalkeeper to score.

Real missed an opportunity to extend their lead when Federico Valverde's quick recovery and pass found Rodrygo, whose close-range effort was excellently saved by Barcelona's goalkeeper Inaki Pena.

A second goal for Real came from Dani Carvajal's long pass to Rodrygo, who then set up Vinicius for an easy tap-in in the 10th minute.

Barcelona responded with Ferran Torres hitting the crossbar and Robert Lewandowski's rebound shot being saved by Real's goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.

Barcelona managed to score through Lewandowski in the 33rd minute, but Real regained control when Vinicius converted a penalty in the 39th minute after being fouled by Araujo.

This goal significantly dampened Barcelona's spirits, and Real Madrid continued to dominate in the second half. Rodrygo extended their lead with a goal from a rebound in the 64th minute.

The defeat adds pressure on Barcelona's manager, Xavi, who has been criticized for the team's recent performance. Barcelona currently ranks fourth in LaLiga with 41 points, trailing leaders Girona by eight points and second-placed Real Madrid by seven.

Xavi expressed his disappointment in a press conference: "We didn't display the level needed for a match like this. It was our worst performance. We never felt comfortable, and Madrid exploited us on the counterattack. I apologize to the fans; we struggled to compete and showed our worst side."