What happened in the Real Madrid vs Barcelona match of last year’s Spanish Super Cup?

We’re only a couple of weeks into 2023 and already the first trophy of the year is set to be decided in the world of Spanish soccer. Real Madrid take on Barcelona in El Clásico in the final of the Spanish Super Cup; a SuperClásico, if you will. For Los Blancos, it’s a chance to further consolidate their recent superiority over their arch-rivals and equal their record of 13 Spanish Super Cup victories. For the Catalans, it’s the opportunity to start a new era of success under club icon Xavi Hernández and win just their second trophy in three years.

We will, of course, be brining you live coverage of the game, which kicks off at 2pm ET /11 am PT, right here on AS USA.

Who has won more Spanish Super Cup finals between Real Madrid and Barcelona?

There is plenty of history between the two teams in the Spanish Super Cup and it doesn’t make especially happy reading for Barcelona. In seven finals between the Clásico rivals, Real Madrid have come out on top in six of them and thrashed La Azulgrana 5-1 over two legs in the last final meeting in 2017.

Even more recent history doesn’t bode well for Barça either, as they haven’t won the competition since the change to the ‘final four’ format in 2019-20 and lost to Real Madrid in the semi-finals last year. Carlo Ancelotti’s men went on to win the trophy by defeating Athletic Club in the final.

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What happened in the Real Madrid vs Barcelona match in the Spanish Super Cup 2022?

In many ways, last year’s semi-final clash was a masterclass in counterattacking soccer from Real Madrid. After Vinícius Júnior and Marco Asensio had missed a couple of early opportunities on the break, Karim Benzema set the Brazilian away to open the scoring on 24 minutes.

Barça battled back into the contest though and after some decent spells of possession, they levelled in fortuitous circumstances just before half-time as Eder Militão’s attempt to clear Ousmane Dembélé's low cross came back off Luuk de Jong and bobbled past Thibaut Courtois.

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The teams exchanged dangerous efforts on goal in the opening stages of the second half; Pedri fired just wide at one end, some great footwork from Benzema was followed by a shot against the post at the other. But the Frenchman wasn’t to be denied for long, putting his team back in front from Dani Carvajal’s low ball just seconds after he’d been thwarted by a Marc-Andre ter Stegen save.

Los Blancos don’t often throw away leads in the closing stage but did on this occasion. A short Barcelona corner was worked to Jordi Alba, whose pinpoint crossed landed on the head of Ansu Fati, who diverted the ball into the net to take the game to extra-time.

But it was Real Madrid’s potent counterattacking that settled the contest. Just when it seemed as if the momentum was with the Catalans, their rival sprung forward on the break and landed the decisive blow seven minutes into extra-time. Rodrygo’s clever cutback could have been pounced upon by any of three white shirts and Vinícius left it for Fede Valverde to slot home the winner.