Genuine Madrid declared the Supercopa de Espana in vogue with a definite 4-1 success versus Barcelona in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Madrid made a quick beginning many thanks to 2 objectives from Vinicius Junior in 3 mins– both of which followed some awful Barca safeguarding. Robert Lewandowski drew an objective back with a roaring initiative from the side of package in the 33rd min, however Ronald Araujo handed out a fine on Vinicius Jr 4 mins later on to enable the Brazilian to secure a first-half hat-trick.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side had the ability to walk to success after Rodrygo‘s 64th min objective to stack even more stress on Barca employer Xavi. Araujo obtained a 2nd yellow card in the 71st min to rub salt in the wound for the Catalans.
This is exactly how our authors saw the video game …
Why did Barcelona make the very same error two times?
Last period, when Barcelona’s support was traditionally helpful for a lot of the La Liga– winning project, component of their success was a reliable offside catch. This period it’s been a little a disarray, as Madrid’s very first 2 objectives made shateringly clear.
The open room behind the support on both objectives was mainly as a result of Jules Kounde relocating the incorrect instructions right now of the via round, attempting rather lackadaisically to capture a jogger offside while an apathetic protective companion played him on. That’s a standard error to interaction and training. There was plainly complication regarding exactly how specifically Barcelona’s back line wished to take care of the rate of Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr in behind.
However an offside catch likewise requires stress on the round to interfere with come on behind, and there Barcelona’s midfield was a huge component of the issue.
Barca’s midfield battled to handle Madrid (Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Photos).
On Genuine Madrid’s opener, Frenkie De Jong and Sergi Roberto— neither of whom is an all-natural protective midfielder– came a cropper to remove accessibility to Jude Bellingham in the heart of the protective block. That required Andreas Christensen to get out of the back line far too late to quit Bellingham from discovering a lane for a lovely through-ball to Vinicius Jr.
A couple of mins later on, Ilkay Gundogan and De Jong were once again captured in no-man’s land as Dani Carvajal had all kind of time to search for Rodrygo in behind. The consistent trouble around noting tasks and pushing angles in midfield doomed Barcelona’s high line from the beginning.
What’s gone so incorrect because the springtime? This group is plainly missing out on Gavi‘s energised pushing and Sergio Busquets’ positional wizard in the centre of the park, and at the same time a gifted team of protectors instantly resemble complete strangers at the back. There’s very little hope of generating a real protective midfielder to offset the messed up Oriol Romeu finalizing, so Xavi will certainly either need to do a whole lot even more service his support’s timing or reconsider regarding attempting to play elite challengers offside.
John Muller
Just how excellent was Vinicius Jr’s timing?
Vinicius Jr entered the video game with simply 3 objectives in 15 previous Clasicos, and a concept that Barcelona protector Araujo had typically had the much better of their individual battles He has likewise had an irritating period with injuries, and not racked up for Madrid because November.
That tale transformed simply 7 mins in, when Vinicius Jr’s superb very first touch from Bellingham’s pass placed him right into room, and he after that revealed calmness and course to round goalkeeper Inaki Pena and coating to the internet.
The 2nd objective was not such a challenging coating, with Dani Carvajal and Rodrygo having actually done a lot of the job, however Vinicius Jr still needed to exist and obtain the round over the line.
Vinicius Jr finishes his very first fifty percent hat-trick from the place (Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Photos).
For the 3rd, the Brazilian’s motion and knowledge required Araujo to take the chance of drawing him back before objective. And considering it was the very first charge he had actually ever before absorbed an affordable video game– for club or nation– the spot-kick was transformed with supreme self-confidence.
It was the fastest hat-trick racked up by any kind of Madrid gamer in a Clasico because 1951– and just the 5th hat-trick racked up in the component this century. Vinicius Jr’s match-winning efficiency came with the best time thinking about all the discuss Madrid possibly authorizing an additional super star ahead in Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe this summertime.
Dermot Corrigan
Just how much do Barcelona miss out on Sergio Busquets?
Xavi identified the finalizing of a brand-new holding midfielder as “the major concern” for Barcelona to attend to last summertime.
After the finalizing of Romeu from Girona for EUR4million– and his unsuccessful assimilation right into the group– Barcelona got to their very first last of the period with an open void because duty. That indicated taking gamers far from their main settings to supply cover in protective midfield.
Gundogan has actually been running as a deep-lying playmaker because Romeu befalled of favour in October, however the previous Manchester City gamer has actually just revealed his finest type at Barcelona when entering package and including skill in the last 3rd.
Barca require Gundogan in assault– that’s what caused Lewandowski’s 33rd-minute objective– so a person required to change him when he moved forward. That was De Jong, that once again needed to carry out in a duty that does not fit him.
Gundogan’s finest type at Barca has actually can be found in the last 3rd (Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Photos).
The Dutchman’s capability to wander ahead was much more minimal without a Busquets-type footballer beside him– and this video game subjected his constraints when played as a holding midfielder. Roberto’s suitable current type approved him an area in the beginning XI, however he was just inadequate versus Madrid.
Busquets’ leave likewise indicated Barca shed a terrific forward-presser. On Sunday evening, Barcelona did not play as a device and Xavi’s system with 4 midfielders looked subjected every single time Madrid introduced a counter-attack.
Xavi stated throughout the accumulation to the last that the secret would certainly be to “have the round and control the video game, regardless of that played”. However, in spite of beginning with 4 midfielders, Barca resembled anything however a group in control.
Pol Ballus
What does this mean for Carlo Ancelotti?
Much less than year earlier, Barca trainer Xavi appeared to have the top hand over Madrid equivalent Ancelotti, as the Catalans won 3 straight Clasicos in the Supercopa, La Liga and the Copa del Rey
However Ancelotti has actually discovered a point or 2 over his lengthy profession, and this was a 3rd straight success for Madrid in the component. There were no challenging tactical techniques, however the Italian obtained his option choices place on, and his interplay with their trainer’s particular peace, control and self-confidence.
This win sealed Ancelotti’s power at Madrid (Fayez Nureldine/AFP using Getty Images).
This was Ancelotti’s 264th video game as Madrid trainer– 119 in his very first spell from 2013 to 2015, and currently 145 because he returned in summertime 2021. Just the legendary Miguel Munoz (605) has even more video games on the Madrid bench, back in the 1950s and 1960s, when the stress and stress of the task were various.
Ancelotti might have left Spain to take care of Brazil at the 2026 Globe Mug, a desire for the majority of supervisors. However the 64-year-old enjoys his task and does it so, so well. Simply weeks after expanding his agreement as much as summertime 2026, he currently has his 11th prize with Madrid. And Munoz’s historical club document of 14 search in actual threat currently.
Dermot Corrigan
And what regarding for Xavi?
The 2023 Supercopa won by Barca seemed like the beginning of a possibly effective period under Xavi as trainer– a year on, the very same competitors has actually given the low point of his period at the club.
Barcelona have actually sustained much even worse spells of type over the last 3 years, and the team absolutely have an even more strong structure to recuperate from a terrible outcome than they did when Xavi took control of in November 2021.
However the actual problem at this moment is that this is Xavi’s group. This is a team put together with big input from the supervisor, that has actually been considerably backed in economic terms however has actually stopped working in making them advance on the pitch.
Last period was viewed as effective within the club– an initial La Liga title in 4 years was comfortably invited and the Supercopa supplied a tip of what this job might attain. However everybody inside the club, from execs to supervisor, concurred at the beginning of the period they should supply a considerable renovation on the pitch this year– with all the children having actually gotten even more experience in Xavi’s approaches.
That has actually not occurred, nonetheless, and the group appears to have actually fallen back from this time around in 2014.
There will certainly be enigma in Barcelona over the supervisor’s future, although a strong choice is not anticipated to be taken quickly. This period head of state Joan Laporta has actually stated his confidence in Xavi, and, in spite of the Clasico outcome, this should not transform in the meantime.
That is partially since there is no clear Fallback inside the club or a clear substitute in mind. There’s likewise Barca’s economic circumstance– they are very constricted and an adjustment of supervisor would certainly not assist with this either.
The course Barca wished to comply with was to rely on Xavi till completion of the period– and after that in the summertime make a sincere analysis regarding the group’s development. Resources firmly insist choices will certainly be taken according to football choices, and summertime makes even more feeling in regards to timings and intending an entire brand-new job.
However what took place in Saudi Arabia will not aid Xavi’s instance in regards to the football advancement he was meant to have actually managed this period.
Pol Ballus
What did both supervisors state after the suit?
This area will certainly be upgraded when quotes are available in.
What next genuine Madrid?
Thursday, January 18: Atletico Madrid (A), Copa del Rey, 8.30 pm GMT, 3.30 pm ET
Madrid face an additional challenging component in 4 days as they take a trip to Atletico in the Copa del Rey last 16. Los Blancos will certainly be wishing for a repeat of the Supercopa de Espana semi-final success instead of the 3-1 loss they endured at the Metropolitano Arena in September.
What next for Barcelona?
Thursday, January 18: Unionistas de Salamanca (A), Copa del Rey, 6.30 pm GMT, 1.30 pm ET
Barcelona likewise include in the Copa del Rey today as they tackle third-tier side Unionistas. Xavi will certainly be anticipating his side to schedule their area in the quarter-finals, although the side from Salamanca did knock Villarreal out in the previous round.
Suggested analysis
( Leading picture: Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Photos))