Barcelona have won the Spanish Super Cup for the tenth time after a brilliant Lionel Messi scored two goals in a 3-2 home win against Real Madrid, earning the European champions a 5-4 aggregate victory. The game was marred by two red cards to Real Madrid players as the bad blood between the two sides carried over from last season.
Madrid picked up where they left off in the first leg and they almost took the lead inside the opening 40 seconds, Ronaldo finishing a move he started with a fierce strike that Víctor Valdés did well to block.
But then somewhat against the run of the play, Barcelona struck when Messi split the Real Madrid defence with a delightful through ball that Iniesta clipped past the advancing Iker Casillas.
Real were level five minutes later when Ronaldo flicked the ball home from Benzema’s pass into the box. It was Ronaldo’s 100th goal in a Real Madrid shirt.
The game continued at a spellbinding pace with chances at both ends. Pedro forced Casillas to make a fantastic save to push the ball over his bar on 21 minutes before Valdes needed the help of his crossbar to stop a Ronaldo rocket three minutes later.
The chances kept on coming as Casillas saved from Messi on 35 minutes before a delicious backheel from Gerard Pique gave Messi room in the Real box to scamper clear and lift the ball over Casillas for a second time in the half.
The second period was a more cautious affair, but both sides continued to cut their way through two tiring defences only to squander excellent chances. Casillas again saved from Messi on 66 minutes as he unleashed a shot from the edge of the box before Sergio Busquets headed wide of goal with a free header a minute later.
Sergio Ramos nodded wide on 71 minutes for Real with Barca defenders caught ball watching before a frantic scramble in the Barca box ended with Benzema stabbing the ball past Valdes as we seemed destined for 30 minutes of extra-time.
But with only two minutes of regulation time remaining Barcelona surged forward once more and Messi expertly volleyed in Adriano’s cross for his 13th goal in 15 Clásico encounters.
The goal sealed the victory for Barcelona and in the final two minutes Marcelo was shown a straight red card for a foul on Cesc Fàbregas and then Villa and Özil were also sent off in the ensuing melee.
So first blood goes to Barcelona, but the result was harsh on Real who produced an outstanding attacking effort against Barcelona in both legs. The difference was that Barca has Messi and Real Madrid have not figured out how to stop him.
