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Marco Asensio set the Bernabeu alight with a goal in the 4th minute, with Karim Benzema doubling Los Blancos lead in the 39th minute, after which Real Madrid held out to lift their second trophy of the season.
Here are the major talking points from the game
#1 Marco Asensio is Real Madrid's crown jewel
Paris St-Germain may have triggered the wrong release clause. The €80 million clause in Asensio's contract looks positively minuscule by comparison to that of Neymar, but Marco Asensio may very well be the next superstar of world football.
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The two goals he's scored in the Supercup would've made the man after whom he was named, Marco van Basten, proud. Real Madrid ought to be a bit concerned and offer Asensio a new contract, as the Spaniard undoubtedly deserves to start more often for Los Blancos, and failing that, may be tempted away.
What will stick in the craw for Barcelona is that haggling over €2 million when he was at Mallorca will potentially come back to haunt them for years to come. This kid is here to stay.
He's following in some great footsteps...
#2 Barcelona look bereft of ideas
"The season is very long and there is room for improvement. But in nine years at Barcelona this is the first time that I have felt we are inferior to Madrid. It is true that they won the Champions League last year, but we came here and won not long before that."
-Gerard Pique's words after the game should set alarm bells ringing.
Even in the worst of El Clasico moments in recent history, you could never accuse them of being a non-entity going forward. However, the lack of creativity from Rakitic and Andre Gomes meant that the entire burden fell on Messi and Suarez. The duo were crowded out and with little support, barely had an effect on the game.
The loss of Neymar will grow ever more painful if Barcelona do not wrap up the signings of Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho soon enough.
#3 No Ronaldo, No Problem
What ought to terrify Barcelona about Real Madrid's comprehensive performance, was that they did it without Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Real Madrid's much famed 'B team' looked like bonafide stars themselves. Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio took full advantage of Barcelona playing 3 at the back, and tormented Barca's fullbacks.
Mateo Kovacic was another of the 'B-Teamers' to have a wonderful game, as he dovetailed brilliantly with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in midfield, with the trio attacking and defending with aplomb. Theo Hernandez and Dani Ceballos also looked part of the furniture when they came on.
The squad makeup is what led Madrid to the league and European Cup double last season, and if their second string continues to shine, they could very well repeat that feat. The hardest task facing Florentino Perez is keeping such an incredibly talented group of players together. Do that, and a dynasty could be born.
#4 Paulinho may actually improve Barcelona's midfield
One Brazilian may have left Barcelona to tears of the fans, but his fellow countryman is being welcomed with plenty of derision in the air. It's fair to say that Paulinho isn't exactly the signing Barcelona fans were dreaming of. The truth is a wee bit different.
What was clear from this game was that it was lost in midfield for Barcelona. The lack of creativity and energy in midfield from Ivan Rakitic and Andre Gomes was apparent for all to see, which meant that Sergio Busquets was left to attempt ambitious balls from deep and dallied, leading to him losing possession multiple times.
Paulinho offers plenty of energy - his displays for Brazil recently epitomize what Barca need. His box-to-box nature will allow Busquets to do what he does best, and also allow the creative midfielder to focus on creation alone, as the Brazilian does the dirty work.
#5 Zinedine Zidane's tactical brilliance needs acknowledgement
Zinedine Zidane outfoxed Ernesto Valverde over two legs, and it's no small feat given the Madrid boss had to rejig his starting XI. Casemiro, Isco and Gareth Bale were rested despite being fit, with Zidane opting for players that would afford him more mobility.
Madrid's 4-3-3 tonight was very different to their usual fare - Zidane usually is fine sitting back, but with Kovacic enabling fast transitions, added to Lucas and Asensio offering dribbling options on the wings, Madrid swarmed around Barcelona and overwhelmed them - this was easily Real Madrid's best performance in a Clasico under Zidane.
What's frightening to the rest of the sides in La Liga and in the UEFA Champions League is the ease with which Zidane's side is able to switch between different formations and tactics. The players never look ill-at-ease or out of place, and it'll be hard to find a team that can stop this juggernaut.
