Premier League: Declan Rice, Guardiola’s most expensive setback
Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid and Xavi Hernandez’s FC Barcelona had an appointment this Sunday, January 15, 2023 in the final of the Spanish Supercup. And for the circumstance, the men of Xavi Hernandez knew how to control the game and won by a gap of 3 goals against the men of Carlo Ancelotti who are still not recovered from the break of the World Cup Qatar 2022.
Indeed, the final of the Spanish Supercup between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona was beautiful. That is to say that we have seen a very good clasico won by the men of Xavi Hernandez. And at the beginning, they were the first ones to show up thanks to Araujo in the 6th. Pedri took a free kick about 20 meters from the Madrid goal and right in the middle. Araujo went to the back of Rüdiger and threw himself to take the ball, but just missed it. Riyadh’s first chance of the game. In the 13th minute, Lewandowski hit the post. Robert Lewandowski took advantage of a bit of space on the edge of the box to send in a powerful shot. Thibaut Courtois is quick to touch the ball with his right hand. The ball ends up on his right post. Alejandro Baldé has followed well and tries to shoot, but he finds the small net. Big chance for Barça.
In the 18th minute, Benzema responded to Lewandowski. Ferland Mendy sent a good cross into the six meters of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Karim Benzema jumped higher than the Barcelona defenders and tried to place it in the right corner of the German keeper. His attempt went inches wide of the right post. In the 34th minute, Gavi opened the scoring. After a great team move, Robert Lewandowski was served on the edge of the Real Madrid area and he sent Gavi through on the left side of the goal. The 18-year-old Spaniard crossed his left-footed shot perfectly past Thibaut Courtois. Barca would go on to take the lead. In the 45th minute, Lewandowski doubled Barcelona’s lead. The Spanish midfielder, who had been set up on the edge of the area by De Jong, picked out Rüdiger perfectly before feeding the Polish striker at the far post. The former Bayern man just had to push the ball into the net to make it 0-2 at the break.
After the break, we thought that Real Madrid would be the first to react. But it was Barcelona, because at the 52nd, Dembélé stumbled on Courtois. Alejandro Baldé broke down the left side and sent a pass between two Madrid defenders to Ousmane Dembélé on the right side of the Real’s box. The Catalan number 7 then crossed his low shot well, but Courtois pushed the shot away with his right foot. It was a close call. Two minutes later, Lewandowski also came up against Courtois. Barcelona were outnumbered and attacked the Real Madrid area. Sergio Busquets fixed his opponent well before serving Robert Lewandowski at his back.
The Pole found himself a little off-centre on the left and tried to slip the ball between the legs of Thibaut Courtois, but Courtois was out quickly and pushed the shot away. In the 69th minute, Pedri put an end to Madrid’s hopes. Robert Lewandowski broke through the Real Madrid defense before passing to Gavi on the left side of the box. The young Spaniard crossed hard in front of the goal and Pedri, alone at the back post, just had to push the ball into the goal. Catalan demonstration tonight. In the 79th minute, Real Madrid reacted, but Ter Stegen made a save. In front of the box, Rodrygo, despite three Barcelona defenders in front of him, sent a curling right-footed shot. Marc-Andre ter Stegen spread out and made a nice save with his left hand.
In the 90+3rd minute, Karim Benzema finally reduced the score. Federico Valverde faked a shot and set up Dani Ceballos on the left. The Spanish midfielder eliminates Franck Kessié before finding Karim Benzema at the penalty spot. The Spanish midfielder took out Franck Kessié before finding Karim Benzema on the penalty spot, but KB9 sent a beautiful shot into the back of Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s net for the final score of the match, 1-3.
