After losing to Barça, Real’s coach called the Super Cup unnecessary

Real Madrid’s latest encounter with Barcelona in the Super Cup presented an opportunity for coach Xabi Alonso to secure his first trophy since taking charge of the club. However, Los Blancos were unable to capitalise, succumbing to a narrow 3-2 defeat against their long-standing rivals. Despite this setback, Alonso appeared determined not to overstate the importance of the loss, instead emphasising lessons for future improvement.

The match, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, saw Barcelona take the upper hand early, exploiting Real’s defensive frailties. Vinícius Júnior’s remarkable display provided some respite, scoring a crucial equaliser and consistently threatening the Catalan defence, yet the team’s attack lacked cohesion, the midfield was disjointed, and the backline showed notable weaknesses.

Alonso remained measured in his post-match comments. “We must turn the page as quickly as possible,” he stated. “This is just a single match, a single competition, and among all the fixtures we face this season, it is the least significant. Our focus now is on moving forward, regaining players, and boosting morale.”

Rather than dwelling on the defeat, the Real coach highlighted positive takeaways. “In this competition, we faced two excellent opponents within a short span. We have extracted positives and are preparing for the next challenges.”

Vinícius, in particular, was praised for his impact. After falling behind to Raphinha’s goal, the Brazilian winger equalised with a stunning strike and continued to press Barcelona’s defence until he was substituted late in the game due to fatigue. Alonso explained, “Vinícius played exceptionally well until the 85th minute. He requested the substitution himself because of exhaustion in the humid conditions. He changed the pace of the match, and his goal was outstanding. Most of our offensive threats came from him.”

Real Madrid created several scoring opportunities late in the match. Alonso reflected, “The final 15 minutes saw a lot of action. We had controlled the game well until then, and the first clear chances came from Vinícius and Gonzalo. The team showed resilience and fought vigorously. By half-time, it was 2-2. The second half remained competitive and intense. The decisive goal for Barcelona came somewhat luckily, and despite our efforts, we could not equalise.”

Currently, Real Madrid trails Barcelona by four points in La Liga. Amid growing scrutiny over Alonso’s mid-season coaching performance, speculation continues about his tenure at the club. For now, the focus remains on recovering key players and building momentum for the remainder of the campaign.

Key Match Summary