Barcelona beat Real Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, finding the net four times in a dominant first half, including a goal from Polish striker Robert Lewandowski.
Barcelona put in a clinical display to lift their first trophy in more than a year, having no silverware to show for last season.
Lewandowski will feel satisfied with his evening’s work. It was his deft through ball that set up Yamal’s brilliantly taken Barca equalizer.
Having only recently won his place in the first team, Szczęsny will be hoping that his red card will not cost him his starting berth. The Polish keeper, who has had to wait a long time to get his chance, started his first games in Barca’s previous two matches, maintaining successive clean sheets.
Szczęsny received his marching orders for fouling Mbappé in the 56th minute, when he was fractionally late coming out of his area to tackle the French forward. This comparative slowness off his line is likely the very reason why coach Hansi Flick initially preferred Peña.
Szczęsny will not face suspension in any other tournament following his red card, so it will be interesting to see who Flick opts for in the Copa del Rey encounter with Real Betis on Wednesday and then in the league against Getafe on Saturday.
Lewandowski will feel satisfied with his evening’s work. It was his deft through ball that set up Yamal’s brilliantly taken Barca equalizer.
The Pole got Barca’s second, converting a penalty in typically cool fashion. Despite his 36 years, Lewandowski remains key to the team's attacking structure. He still has his killer instinct in front of goal and is now increasingly dropping deep to link up play and allowing the rapid Raphinha and Yamal to run beyond him.🇵🇱 𝐀𝐒𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐀 𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐀 𝐋𝐄𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐄𝐆𝐎 𝐖 𝐄𝐋 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐎! 😍
— ELEVEN SPORTS PL (@ELEVENSPORTSPL) January 12, 2025
✨ Świetnie zachował się Lamine Yamal w tej sytuacji, co za bramka!⚽️🤌
FC Barcelona doprowadza do remisu w meczu o Superpuchar Hiszpanii! 🏆 #lazabawa🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/cwJTKRYUmu
🇵🇱 𝐆𝐎𝐋 𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐀 𝐋𝐄𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐄𝐆𝐎 𝐙 𝐑𝐙𝐔𝐓𝐔 𝐊𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐆𝐎! ⚽️🎯
— ELEVEN SPORTS PL (@ELEVENSPORTSPL) January 12, 2025
FC Barcelona wychodzi na prowadzenie w El Clásico po bramce Polaka! 🏆 #lazabawa🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/0p74qrxpE3
Szczęsny’s error
Having only recently won his place in the first team, Szczęsny will be hoping that his red card will not cost him his starting berth. The Polish keeper, who has had to wait a long time to get his chance, started his first games in Barca’s previous two matches, maintaining successive clean sheets.
One of the main strengths of Iñaki Peña, who has played impressively between the sticks for the majority of this season following André ter Stegen’s season-ending injury in September, is his ability to spring swiftly off his line and sweep up behind Barcelona’s defensive high line.🔴 𝐂𝐙𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐀 𝐊𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐊𝐀 𝐃𝐋𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐉𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐀 𝐒𝐙𝐂𝐙𝐄𝐒𝐍𝐄𝐆𝐎! 🇵🇱
— ELEVEN SPORTS PL (@ELEVENSPORTSPL) January 12, 2025
😱 Polak opuszcza boisko w finale Superpucharu Hiszpanii po faulu na Kylianie Mbappé! 🤐 #lazabawa🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/cf97dtsGKS
Szczęsny received his marching orders for fouling Mbappé in the 56th minute, when he was fractionally late coming out of his area to tackle the French forward. This comparative slowness off his line is likely the very reason why coach Hansi Flick initially preferred Peña.
Szczęsny will not face suspension in any other tournament following his red card, so it will be interesting to see who Flick opts for in the Copa del Rey encounter with Real Betis on Wednesday and then in the league against Getafe on Saturday.
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