Defeating Real, Barca recreates an impressive achievement from the Pep Guardiola era

The win against Real Madrid in the 2025/26 Spanish Super Cup enabled Barcelona to match a feat achieved under coach Pep Guardiola.

Barcelona continued to demonstrate their resilience in finals by overcoming their fierce rivals Real Madrid in the 2025/26 Spanish Super Cup title match.

This triumph not only secured the club’s first trophy of the season but also helped them recreate a remarkable record after more than 15 years. Specifically, Barcelona became the first team to successfully defend the Spanish Super Cup since the 2010–2011 period, when the team was still managed by Pep Guardiola.

Pep Guardiola led Barcelona from 2008 to 2012, creating one of the most glorious chapters in the club’s history. Over four seasons, the Spanish coach guided Barca to a total of 14 trophies, including 3 La Liga titles, 2 Champions League trophies, 2 Copa del Rey wins, and the historic sextuple in 2009—an unprecedented achievement in world football. Under Guardiola’s leadership, Barcelona showcased the famous tiki-taka style, dominating possession and reaching the pinnacle in both titles and identity.

Meanwhile, Pep’s successor, Hansi Flick, currently holds an equally impressive record in finals. The coach born in 1965 has won all 8 of the finals he has managed throughout his career.

Since arriving at Camp Nou in summer 2024, the German tactician and his squad have reached 3 finals: 2 Spanish Super Cups and 1 Copa del Rey final. This record has made a strong impression on both the club’s management and Barcelona supporters, building confidence in their pursuit of trophies this season.

Returning to the match, Barcelona took the lead in the 36th minute with a precise finish from Raphinha. The added time of the first half saw an intense sequence as both teams scored consecutively, ending the half tied at 2-2.

In the second half, the pace remained high with both sides pushing forward and creating numerous chances. The turning point came in the 73rd minute when Raphinha’s right-footed shot deflected off a Real Madrid player, deceiving the goalkeeper and securing the winning goal for the Catalan side.

In the remaining minutes, Real Madrid played with a numerical advantage after De Jong was sent off with a direct red card. Despite this, Barcelona’s defense stayed focused and successfully preserved the 3-2 victory until the final whistle.