Real Madrid have won the Spanish Super Cup for a 10th time with a 2-0 win over rival Barcelona at a joyous Santiago Bernabeu.
The win on Wednesday (NZT Thursday) completed a 5-1 aggregate victory that underlined their new status as Spain’s dominant football force.
Marco Asensio followed up his brilliant late goal in the first leg at the weekend with a stunning effort from 30 metres in the fourth minute that proved a punishing blow for the Catalans.
Karim Benzema struck before halftime to seal the victory and Barcelona left the Spanish capital with home supporters’ chants of “champions” ringing in their ears.
Real, last season’s Spanish and European champion, dominated throughout, toying with Ernesto Valverde’s side and showing no sign they were missing suspended forward Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale, who was on the bench.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez both hit the woodwork but it was a bleak display for Barcelona, leaving Valverde with plenty of holes to patch before the start of the league this weekend.
“We’re not in our best moment, not on the level of the team or the level of the club. It’s the first time we’ve felt Madrid are superior,” Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said.
Real, meanwhile, have started where they left off last season, by adding more silverware to their bursting trophy cabinet.
They clinched the European Super Cup last week with a 2-1 victory over Manchester United in Macedonia, adding to an already remarkable haul for coach Zinedine Zidane since he took over in January 2016.
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