Sports
Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid: Raphinha Brace Inspires Catalans To Super Cup Victory
Barcelona edged past Real Madrid in a five-goal thriller to win back-to-back Spanish Super Cup finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
It marked a 16th triumph in the tournament for Hansi Flick’s side, with Barcelona also beating Los Blancos in last year’s final.
Brazilian forward Raphinha’s floated shot in the 73rd minute proved to be the winner after a frantic ending to the first half.
Three quick-fire goals in first-half stoppage time put the two on level terms at the break after Raphinha had opened the scoring, drilling into the bottom corner in the 36th minute.
Vinicius Jr equalised two minutes into three of added time, nutmegging Jules Kounde on a brilliant run before sliding into the far corner to score his first Real goal in 17 games, since 4 October, 2025.
Robert Lewandowski then clipped in off the post to restore Barca’s lead in the 49th minute.
But Gonzalo Garcia hooked in three minutes later after a scramble in the box that saw Dean Huijsen’s header hit the bar, as Barca boss Flick protested the the half-time whistle should already have been blown.
Frenkie de Jong was shown a straight red card in stoppage time after lunging in on Kylian Mbappe, who came on as a substitute having recovered from a knee injury.
Late chances at both ends made for a nervy finale with Marcus Rashford shooting wide when clear, while Alvaro Carreras and then Raul Asencio both shot straight at goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
But Barca held on to secure a second consecutive title for the first time since 2011.
In-form Barca start 2026 with silverware
Barcelona have now won 10 games in a row, last suffering defeat in November when they lost to Chelsea in the Champions League.
They have not lost to Spanish opposition since 26 October when Real beat them in the El Clasico at the Bernabeu.
Victory provides a first piece of silverware in what could turn into a fruitful season for Flick’s men, who sit four points clear of Real at the top of La Liga.
This was the fourth Clasico Super Cup in a row, while all three of Barca’s final wins under Flick have come against Real – two Super Cups and the Copa del Rey.
German boss Flick himself has now won all eight finals he has been involved in, including five with Bayern Munich.
For Los Blancos it has been a patchy season with four wins in their last six La Liga matches.
Inconsistency in the league and in Europe has not met the lofty expectations of the club and fanbase with questions raised over Xabi Alonso’s future in Madrid.
That pressure on the Spaniard seems to have slowly alleviated with five consecutive wins in all competitions, but this result could lead to those questions resurfacing.
The four-team Spanish Super Cup has been hosted in Saudi Arabia since 2020 and the Spanish Football Federation have extended the deal to continue to play it in the country until 2029.
bbc.com
Football
Timeless Messi: Four-Goal Haul, Solo Wonder Goal And 7-1 Rout
Inter Miami ended their slump with an emphatic 7-1 thrashing of Montreal. Lionel Messi stole the show with a sensational four-goal haul, including a breathtaking solo strike after slaloming past three defenders.
The Argentine maestro, who also weighed in with an assist, delivered a performance for the ages. He got his first strike after his curling free-kick took a heavy deflection off Petrasso.
The No. 10’s second goal was a pure work of art. Collecting the ball from Luis Suarez on the edge of the ‘D’, the forward danced past three defenders in tight quarters before finishing clinically on his right foot. His third arrived via a trademark chipped finish after being slipped clean through on the goalkeeper. Finally, at 6-1, Lionel Messi capped the rout with a signature masterpiece: a sublime free-kick from the edge of the area.
Inter Miami brought an emphatic end to their recent slump ahead of Kily Gonzalez taking the managerial reins. In contrast, Messi, the leading marksman in MLS, took another step towards the landmark of 1,000 career goals, lifting his elite-level tally to 927.
besoccer.com
Football
BREAKING: Barcelona Reach Agreement With Arsenal For Gabriel Jesus
According to Fabrizio Romano, Barca have struck a deal with Arsenal to sign Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian will bolster the Blaugrana attack following the collapsed move for Julian Alvarez.
According to the report, both clubs have settled on a transfer fee of €10 million plus add-ons for the Brazil international.
The Italian journalist claims the transfer is fully sealed, with Gabriel Jesus scheduled to fly to Barcelona on Monday for a medical after receiving the green light from Arsenal.
At 29 years of age, the Brazilian striker departs the Gunners following four injury-hit seasons, during which he tallied 32 goals in 123 appearances. He is set to join Hansi Flick’s FC Barcelona, finally providing the German manager with a proven reinforcement in the No. 9 position after the exits of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.
besoccer.com
Football
Real Madrid To Sign Marc Cucurella From Chelsea
According to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid and Chelsea have verbally agreed to sign Marc Cucurella. All parties, including the player, are believed to have agreed on the transaction; just the final details are still pending.
It is anticipated that the transaction will be completed for about 50 million euros. Romano claims that Jose Mourinho has made a special request to bolster the left-back position. Cucurella will join the Spanish powerhouses ahead of the upcoming season after leaving Chelsea following the World Cup.
The La Masia graduate is expected to make a significant transfer to the Catalan team’s fiercest rivals. Cucurella earned La Liga experience while playing for Eibar and Getafe before joining the Premier League.
Because of his performances, he was transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he made an impression before landing a job at Chelsea. He made 50 appearances for the London team in 2025–2026, including 34 in the Premier League, and recorded one goal and four assists.
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