Real Madrid beat Barcelona 3-2 in the El Clasico derby to advance into the final of the Supercopa de Espana. In a thrilling match at the King Fahd International Stadium Riyadh. Vinicius, Karim Benzema and Federico Valverde were on target for Real Madrid while Luuk de Jong and Ansu Fati scored for the Catalans.
This was the fourth consecutive El Clasico loss for Barcelona.
⚡️ UNSTOPPABLE!! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/tBSEaOuNER
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 12, 2022
FIRST HALF
Real Madrid started the match on the front foot and had their first chance in the third minute which Benzema blazed wide off the goal. Their next chance came in the eight-minute as Vinicius passed the ball to Marco Asensio who could only blaze the ball over the bar. The team kept the pressure on and were duly awarded minutes later. Karim Benzema brilliantly robbed the ball of Sergio Busquets before feeding the ball to Vinicius who then beat Ter Stegen at his near post.
15 – Vinícius Júnior 🇧🇷 has scored 15 goals in 27 games for @realmadriden this season in all competitions, as many as in his first three seasons combined with the club (15 in 118 appearances). Stellar pic.twitter.com/nAZRWVS694
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 12, 2022
Barcelona who were till then lethargic in-play suddenly gained back their mojo as they looked for an equaliser.
Luuk de Jong who has been in form for the Catalans tested Courtois with two headers that were comfortable saved by the Belgian. Busquets then had lobbed a brilliant ball past the Real Madrid defence which came to nothing before debutant Ferran Torres missed another opportunity.
However, these waves of attack eventually paid off as Barcelona scored the equaliser via a lucky Luuk de Jong finish. Dembele’s cross from the left was being clear by Eder Miltao but his shot hit de Jong at point-blank range and sneaked past the Real Madrid goalkeeper into the nets.
3 – Since arriving in Spain, Luuk de Jong 🇳🇱 has scored in three straight games in all competitions for the first time and he is one of five LaLiga players to have scored the most goals in 2022 in all comps (three). Confidence. pic.twitter.com/KMqzfFXJmw
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 12, 2022
With this scoreline the teams went to half-time with the score at 1-1.
SECOND HALF
Barcelona made two changes at the half with Pedri and Abde coming in for Frenkie de Jong and Ferran Torres.
Barcelona started the second half the same way they had ended the first i.e. on the front foot. The Catalans had two big chances within ten minutes but Pedri and Dembele both failed to find the back of the net.
However, it was Real Madrid who once again retook the lead. Benzema had earlier hit the post in the 69th minute but took his chance three minutes later. A nice ball from Mendy allowed Benzema to draw a save from Ter Stegen. Carvajal however kept the ball alive and squared it back to Benzema who made no mistakes this time.
Like it had happened in the first half, a goal from Real Madrid again made Barcelona dangerous as they searched for an equaliser.
And it was their star man Fati who got in between two Real Madrid defenders and planted a header past the goalkeeper from a Jordi Alba cross.
The scores remained the same at the end of 90 minutes as the game went into extra time.
EXTRA TIME
Barcelona again started the extra time on the front foot but for the third time in the night, Real Madrid took the lead. Real Madrid initiated a quick counter-attack which led to Rodrygo’s cross being put into the net by Federico Valverde.
The Catalans again switched on and could have had an equaliser if not for a double save from the goalkeeper.
Real Madrid had a great chance to extend their lead at the end of 120 minutes but Rodrygo put the ball wide off the post.
