Vinicius Jr.’s quickfire hattrick inside 40 minutes sent Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti “on cloud nine” as Los Blancos won the Spanish Super Cup following a 4-1 defeat of archrivals Barcelona in Saudi Arabia yesterday (Bangladesh time).
Fellow Brazilian Rodrygo completed Real Madrid’s thrashing, as they won the title for the 13th time, avenging last year’s final loss to record 14-time winners Barcelona.
Ancelotti’s victory also equals Zinedine Zidane’s record of eleven titles as Real Madrid manager, solidifying his status as one of the club’s most prominent managers in its historic history.
“Enjoy the present moment and concentrate on what is ahead… I’m on cloud nine. But you may also descend from the skies. “I’ll come down, and you’ll be there,” Ancelotti stated after the match.
Despite becoming European champions in 2022, Ancelotti was under criticism as Real was eliminated from the Champions League quarterfinals the following season.
With a continued reliance on several all-conquering aging campaigners in the ranks, such as Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and Karim Benzema (who eventually left for the Saudi Pro League), it was reported that Real Madrid’s top brass were dissatisfied with Ancelotti’s handling of the passing of the baton from veterans to aspiring stars.
The former AC Milan and Chelsea coach, on the other hand, downplayed any worries about the transition, claiming that everything was going well even before he came to manage the Spanish giants in his second tenure, which begins in 2021 following a two-year stint from 2013-15.
“This transformation began before I came. This group, which has accomplished tremendous and remarkable things, began to lose components, such as Cristiano [Ronaldo], in 2018. “Young players of great quality have begun to arrive,” the Italian asserted confidently.
Whatever doubts remained must have been dispelled by how the new crop of superstars-in-the-making delivered a masterclass on one of the season’s biggest evenings.
As Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Vinicius wrecked havoc on a Barcelona defense that was playing with an abnormally high line, Real controlled every part of the game and played with last year’s winners. Barcelona finished the game with ten men when defender Ronald Araujo was sent off for a second yellow card in the 71st minute for two fouls on Vinicius.
Earlier, Real required just seven minutes to draw first blood, due to a brilliant assist from Bellingham. Their second came from another long pass, this time from Dani Carvajal to Rodrygo in the right channel, resulting in a Vinicius tap-in in the tenth minute.
However, Barcelona fought back and reduced the lead with a magnificent Lewandowski goal off another rebound in the 33rd minute. The momentum seemed to be in Barcelona’s favor, but after Vinicius scored a penalty in the 39th minute, Real dominated the second half, with Rodrygo scoring their fourth from a rebound in the 64th minute.
“We wanted to win, and we accomplished it on merit. Despite a slow start, we were fortunate to meet Vinícius at a pivotal time, sparking another chapter. Barcelona controlled the ball, sought for chances, and had the game open until 4-1. We attempted to regulate it without pushing too hard. “It was a complete match, and we are very pleased,” Ancelotti said.
The setback will put further pressure on Barcelona manager Xavi, who has received criticism from fans and media who are dissatisfied with the team’s performance as the Catalans sit seven points behind second-placed Real Madrid in LaLiga.
“We have not shown the level necessary for a contest like this. We played our worst game. “We were never comfortable,” Xavi stated.
HIGHLIGHT QUOTE
“Enjoy the present moment and concentrate on what is ahead… I’m on cloud nine. But you may also descend from the skies. Carlo Ancelotti stated after matching Zinedine Zidane’s record of eleven titles as Real Madrid manager.