Vinicius Jr solo brilliance not enough as Barcelona edge Supercopa final
Vinicius Junior delivered a moment of individual brilliance in the Supercopa de Espana final, but his stunning solo goal was not enough to prevent Real Madrid falling to a narrow defeat against Barcelona in Saudi Arabia.
The Brazilian winger ended a lengthy goal drought with a sensational equaliser before the break, yet Barcelona emerged with a 3-2 victory after a breathless Clasico that swung repeatedly in a chaotic first half.
Raphinha opened the scoring for Barcelona with a precise low finish in the 36th minute, setting the tone for an open contest. Vinicius responded ten minutes later with a goal that lifted the stadium, driving in from the left and producing a piece of skill that cut through Barca’s defence.
Barcelona, however, regained control almost immediately after the restart as Robert Lewandowski struck to restore their advantage. Real refused to fold, and Gonzalo Garcia bundled home an equaliser moments later to ensure the sides went into the interval locked at 2-2.
The goal carried added significance for Vinicius, who had not scored since October 10 and had faced growing scrutiny over his form this season. The Supercopa final offered a timely reminder of his match-winning potential despite an inconsistent 2025-26 campaign.
Played in front of a vibrant crowd in Saudi Arabia, the match opened at a frantic pace, with both teams pressing aggressively and looking to exploit space in wide areas. Vinicius and Raphinha were central to the early threat, repeatedly stretching defences and driving their sides forward.
Clear chances arrived at both ends, with goalkeepers forced into sharp saves and defenders scrambling to recover. Refereeing decisions stayed largely out of the spotlight, but the game never settled, driven instead by constant transitions and attacking intent.
Vinicius’ goal stood out as the highlight of the night. Collecting the ball near the touchline, he surged toward the box, nutmegged Jules Kounde, skipped past two more challenges, and calmly rolled the ball into the far corner to ignite Real Madrid’s supporters.
Barcelona’s winner arrived in the second half when Raphinha struck again in the 73rd minute, his effort taking a decisive deflection that wrong-footed the goalkeeper. Real pushed for a late response, but clear openings became harder to find as Barca managed the closing stages.
The final moments were tense, with Madrid committing numbers forward and Barcelona defending deeper, but the Catalans held firm to secure the trophy for the second consecutive year.
For Real Madrid, attention now shifts quickly to domestic matters. Vinicius and his teammates travel to face Albacete in the Copa del Rey on January 14 before returning to La Liga action against Levante, knowing the pressure is mounting as they attempt to close the four-point gap to Barcelona at the top of the table.
Vini Jr dances his way through the Barcelona defense to equalise 🔥
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 11, 2026