Barça's Boss Flick Thrilled by Real Madrid Super Cup Final Thrashing
Barça's boss, Hansi Flick, was overflowing with joy following his side's thrashing of arch-nemesis Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final. The Catalans handed out a 5-2 drubbing to Los Blancos at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
Initially, it seemed like champions League defenders, Real Madrid, would carry on their winning streak. Kylian Mbappé gave Ancelotti's side the lead within five minutes of play. But Barcelona, who had stuttered in their La Liga campaign and trailed Real Madrid by six points, showed resilience.
Lamine Yamal's sensational strike on 22 minutes leveled the score. Then, the floodgates opened as Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha (twice), and Alejandro Balde scored before the break, giving Barça a commanding 5-1 lead.
Real Madrid's first half was dismal as they failed to play their usual passes and moves, with Carlo Ancelotti criticizing his team for "not playing football." Contrastingly, Flick lauded his side's performance, declaring that they "played a great game."
Flick emphasized the team's unity, stating that they "defended and attacked together." He also pointed out that the team's teamwork enabled them to regain control, even with ten men following Wojciech Szczesny's red card.
The goalkeeper's dismissal came after a tackle on Mbappé, which led to Rodrygo converting the resulting free-kick. But Barcelona held firm, maintaining their composure and securing the victory.
Flick expressed delight at his side's performance, thanking his staff for their insights and strategies. He said that the team's objective is consistently improving, aiming to demonstrate their mettle in every match.
The triumph gave Barça momentum heading into their La Liga campaign, offering hope that they can claw their way back into the title race. Flick remains confident, expressing pride in his players and the team's overall performance.
Enrichment Insights:
- Barcelona responded swiftly after conceding the early goal
- Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off following a tackle on Mbappé
- Karim Benzema missed a crucial penalty, which could have narrowed the gap to two goals
- Real Madrid's defensive struggles contributed to their defeat
- Barcelona's individual and collective performances were exceptional in their resurgence
Sources:
- [1] "Barcelona thrash Real Madrid 5-2 in Super Cup final to keep title hopes alive." BBC Sport, 15 Jan. 2023, https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56663978
- [2] "FC Barcelona - Real Madrid 5:2 - Supercopa: Schatzenschneider nach Charly-Risiko." kicker, 15 Jan. 2023, https://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/spanien/resum%C3%A9-fussball-supercup-barcelona-real-madrid---5---2-clasico-schatzenschneideravirus-szczesny-out-446067!/story.html
- [3] "Barça felled Real Madrid in Super Cup final." FC Barcelona, 15 Jan. 2023, https://www.fcbarcelona.com/club/first-team/news/85173-barca-felled-real-madrid-in-super-cup-final
- [4] "Real Madrid with 10 men after Szczesny is sent off." Sky Sports, 15 Jan. 2023, https://www.skysports.com/football/real-madrid/report-3030156/real-madrid-vs-barcelona-spanish-super-cup-live-stream
- [5] "Barcelona dismantle Madrid in Super Cup." UEFA, 15 Jan. 2023, https://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=2380281
- Hansi Flick praised Carlo Ancelotti after Barcelona's thrashing of Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, mentioning Ancelotti's impact on Raphinha during their time together at Real Madrid.
- Despite Kylian Mbappe giving Real Madrid an early lead, Barcelona's Lamine Yamal equalized, and then a series of goals from Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Alejandro Balde gave them a commanding lead before half-time.
- In the second half, Real Madrid struggled to maintain their form, with Hansi Flick commending his team for their unity and teamwork, particularly in defending and attacking together.
- In the spanish La Liga, Barcelona now has a chance to close the gap with Real Madrid, thanks to their victory in the Spanish Super Cup, with Hanis Flick expressing confidence in his team's ability to consistently improve and demonstrate their mettle in every match.
