Barcelona thrash Real 5-2 in Spanish Super Cup thriller

JEDDAH :Barcelona came from an early goal down to beat Real Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, scoring four goals in a dominant first half and surviving having their goalkeeper sent off to clinch a record-extending 15th trophy.

Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Alejandro Balde were all on target before halftime, after French forward Kylian Mbappe put Real in front in the fifth minute. Raphinha grabbed another in the second half while Rodrygo scored for Real.

Barcelona put in a clinical display to lift their first trophy in more than a year, having no silverware to show for last season.

"A goal for big clubs is always to win titles, that's why we work hard. But now we have to show it in the next games," Hansi Flick told a press conference after winning his first trophy as Barca coach.

"Real made many mistakes, and we knew how to take advantage of them to control the match."

Barca prevented Real from winning their third title of the campaign, after they won the European Super Cup against Atalanta and beat Mexico's Pachuca to the Intercontinental Cup last month.

"In the first half we didn't play football, we hit long balls and that wasn't the idea," Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

"I told the players that they can lose games, but not in the way we played in the first half."

QUICK TURNAROUND

Mbappe earned an early advantage for the Spanish champions, finishing a solo run from around the halfway line with a shot inside the far post.

But what looked like a dream start quickly turned into a nightmare for Ancelotti's men when Yamal levelled for Barca in the 22nd minute. Striker Lewandowski gave them the lead 14 minutes later from a penalty awarded for Eduardo Camavinga's foul on Gavi.

Raphinha increased the