Xavi Hernandez, the head coach of Barcelona, is facing heightened scrutiny after his team suffered a devastating 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana final.
Real Madrid displayed superior form in the high-stakes Clasico, overshadowing Barcelona throughout the match. The game, held in Riyadh with a notably quiet atmosphere, saw Real Madrid take control early on, even without exerting their full strength. The first half was particularly striking, with Vinicius Jr. delivering an outstanding performance, scoring a hat-trick before halftime.
Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski missed a crucial opportunity in the opening minutes, denied by Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Andriy Lunin. Following this, Real Madrid took command, with Vinicius Jr. quickly opening the scoring after a pass from Jude Bellingham. Rodrygo later set up Vinicius Jr. for his second goal, though Barcelona did manage to strike the crossbar through Ferran Torres.
Barcelona’s Momentary Comeback and Subsequent Collapse
Barcelona briefly appeared to rally when Lewandowski scored from outside the box. However, their defence faltered almost immediately, with Ronald Araujo conceding a penalty that Vinicius Jr. converted, completing his hat-trick. The final blow came when Real Madrid’s Rodrygo scored in the 64th minute, followed by Araujo’s dismissal for a second bookable offence. The match ended as a humiliating defeat for Barcelona.
Despite Barcelona President Joan Laporta’s prior assurances, Xavi’s position may now be in jeopardy, reminiscent of Ernesto Valverde’s dismissal following a similar Supercopa defeat. With Rafa Marquez potentially waiting in the wings, Xavi faces immense pressure as the team returns to Spain.
On the other hand, Real Madrid shifts its focus back to La Liga EA Sports, where a title contention with Girona looms, as well as a Champions League last-16 tie with RB Leipzig.
