Real Madrid 4-1 Barcelona (Jan 14, 2024) Game Analysis

Vinícius Júnior scored a hat-trick within the first half as Real Madrid had been topped Spanish Super Cup champions after a 4-1 demolition of bitter rivals Barcelona in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Real dominated each side of the sport and toyed with final 12 months’s champions who couldn’t deal with Vinícius and ended the competition with 10 males after defender Ronald Araújo was despatched off for a second reserving within the 71st minute after two fouls on the Brazilian.

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“I didn’t expect us to score three so soon, but we took advantage of their high defensive line with an inspired Vinicius tonight,” Real supervisor Carlo Ancelotti advised Movistar Plus.

“It was a difficult match, the result seems too much for the way Barcelona played. At 3-1 it was even. At 4-1 they dropped their arms a bit. We are happy.”

Ancelotti was being sort to Barca who may have suffered an excellent larger defeat after a dismal second half wherein they did not document a single shot on course.

Real’s masterclass, nonetheless, had began a lot earlier, with Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Vinicius creating all types of bother for a Barcelona defence that had been enjoying with a particularly excessive line.

It took Real seven minutes to open the scoring because of a powerful help by Bellingham.

The England midfielder was surrounded by three gamers on the midway line however by some means managed to provide a shocking move to seek out Vinicius who took the ball in his stride and effortlessly raced previous the goalkeeper to complete into an empty web.

Real wasted an incredible alternative to increase their lead when Federico Valverde recovered the ball rapidly and delivered an incredible move by to Rodrygo, whose point-blank strike was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Iñaki Peña.

Real’s second got here from one other lengthy move, this time with Dani Carvajal discovering Rodrygo in the best channel. He broke into the field earlier than squaring the ball throughout the penalty space for a Vinicius tap-in within the tenth minute.

Barcelona virtually hit again rapidly as Ferran Torres fired a half-volley towards the crossbar and goalkeeper Andriy Lunin made a reflex save to disclaim a bullet strike from Robert Lewandowski on the rebound.

Yet Barca had been resilient and managed to cut back the deficit with a advantageous Lewandowski strike from one other rebound within the thirty third minute.

The momentum was seemingly in Barca’s favour when Aurélien Tchouaméni lifted a cross to Vinicius Jr who was held by defender Araujo as he tried to pounce on the ball. Vinicius took the penalty and netted with a tidy end to the goalkeeper’s proper within the thirty ninth minute.

The aim was a hammer blow for Barcelona and Real dominated the second half with Rodrygo hitting their fourth from a rebound within the sixty fourth minute.

The loss will improve the stress on Barca supervisor Xavi, who has confronted criticism from followers and media who’re sad with the group’s type.

They sit fourth within the LaLiga standings on 41 factors, eight behind leaders Girona and 7 adrift of second-placed Real Madrid.

“We have not shown the level required for a match like this,” Xavi advised a press convention.

“We played our worst game. We weren’t comfortable at any point. Madrid hurt us on the counter. I apologise to the fans because it was hard for us to compete and we showed our worst side…”