Real Madrid 2-5 Barcelona: 5 Talking Points as splendid first half helps Blaugrana subdue Los Blancos | Supercopa de Espana 2025

A four-goal frenzy akin to their earlier matchup this season saw Barcelona defeat Real Madrid and lift the 2025 Supercopa de Espana on Sunday, January 12. La Blaugrana defeated Los Blancos 5-2 at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Following their 3-0 win over Mallorca last time out, Los Blancos opted to field an unchanged lineup. The side were looking to avoid a repeat of the last El Clasico where they lost 4-0.

Hansi Flick's side, meanwhile, also went with zero changes, coming off a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.

Despite a bright start for La Blaugrana, it was Carlo Ancelotti's side who took the lead inside five minutes. A rapid counter-attack saw Vinicius Jr set up Kylian Mbappe, who dribbled past Alejandro Balde before firing home to open the scoring.

Barcelona continued to apply pressure, and it eventually paid dividends as Lamine Yamal restored parity after 22 minutes. The winger got the better of Ferland Mendy and found the corner with a sharp effort to peg Real Madrid back.

The Catalan giants then opened the game up quickly. First, they took the lead from the spot after Eduardo Camavinga's foul on Gavi, with Robert Lewandowski scoring from the spot-kick. Minutes later, they added a third as Jules Kounde found Raphinha with a brilliant pass and the winger headed home. Just before the half ended, Balde joined the party, making it 4-1 with a fiery effort to leave their opponents stunned.

Barcelona picked up right where they left off in the second period as Raphinha completed his brace. The Brazilian winger was set free by a pass from Marc Casado and finished coolly to put the result out of Real Madrid's reach.

Los Blancos received a glimmer of hope after 60 minutes as Wojciech Szczesny received a straight red for his foul on Mbappe outside the box, denying the Frenchman a goalscoring opportunity. Rodrygo stepped up and scored brilliantly from the ensuing free-kick, casting a few doubts in the minds of the Blaugrana faithful.

However, the side exhibited great composure and control to see the rest of the game out, as Los Blancos were unable to create any further good opportunities to score. With the win, Barcelona avenged their loss in the same tournament to Real Madrid from last year, winning their first piece of silverware under Hansi Flick. Here are five talking points from the game:

Real Madrid vs Barcelona Talking Points

#5. An atypical off-night for Jude Bellingham

One of Real Madrid's most energetic and reliable contributors, Jude Bellingham had a frustrating night out against Barcelona. He was unable to really get in the game, getting just 41 touches in midfield.

#4. Barcelona's front three impress again

Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha all got on the scoresheet as the Catalan giants' potent attack led the way for the side yet again. The trio have already put up a staggering 49 goals and 24 assists combined across all competitions.

#3. Red card promises hope of enthralling finish but Los Blancos fall short

After going 5-1 down, Szczesny's red card and Rodrygo's response from the free-kick meant Los Blancos had something to chase despite an abysmal first half. However, dogged defending from La Blaugrana combined with wastefulness from Carlo Ancelotti's men meant that they never looked like cutting the deficit down.

#2. Another defensive collapse in El Clasico for Real Madrid

When these two sides met back in October, the Catalan giants pulled off a similar feat, scoring four times in a single half. Their opponents' backline crumbled again completely, with a lack of communication and poor positioning leaving huge spaces for them to attack.

#1. A stepping stone for Barcelona to find their way back in La Liga?

Despite a brilliant start to the campaign, winning 14 of their first 16 league games, Hansi Flick's side endured a difficult run of results that has now seen them drop to third behind the two Madrid giants. Six points off Atletico at the top, they will hope that this huge result provides them with a boost in what promises to be an enthralling title race.