MADRID: Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup for the 10th time with a 2-0 win over rivals Barcelona at a joyous Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday to complete a 5-1 aggregate victory that underlined their new status as Spain’s dominant force.

Marco Asensio followed up his brilliant late goal in Sunday’s first leg 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 Barca left the Spanish capital with home supporters’ chants of ‘champions’ ringing in their ears.

Victory continues Real’s run of success under Zinedine Zidane with the European champions now having lifted seven trophies in the 20 months since the Frenchman took charge.

“We played very well in the away leg and we had a great game tonight, above all in the first half, which was spectacular,” Zidane said. “We have to congratulate the players because they were fantastic.

“This team has hunger and every time we play it shows. We have to try to continue like this. To start the season like this is very good, but we know a long season is just starting.”

Real, last season’s Spanish and European champions, 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.

“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 Real are superior,” Barca defender Gerard Pique told reporters.

Barca struggled to score for a second match since the shocking departure of Neymar on a world-record transfer to Paris St Germain. The closest they went to scoring was Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez hitting the woodwork in the second half after the title was already in Real’s grasp.

“We have to recover quickly, the league is on the horizon,” said Valverde, ahead of Barca’s La Liga opener against Real Betis on Sunday.

“In three days we find ourselves against the ropes. Things have happened in pre-season that have affected the balance of the team and our job is to recover that balance.”

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.

ASENSIO IMPACT

With Ronaldo banned for shoving the referee in the first leg, Asensio was given a starting spot and made an instant impact.

The 21-year-old picked up right where he had left the first leg, stunning goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen with a long strike that floated overhead before landing in the net.

Asensio earned a place in Zidane’s starting 11 after going on as a substitute on Sunday and capping Real’s victory by scoring a 90th-minute goal with a long shot that Ter Stegen failed to stop.

On Wednesday, he curled a left-footed shot from well outside the area over a flatfooted Ter Stegen.

“The first was beautiful, but this one was, too. The other was harder because of the path [it took],” Asensio told reporters. “I’m going to work to have the maximum minutes possible out there. I’m very happy on a personal level and for the collective, too.”

The scoreline could have been a lot more embarrassing for Barca as Marcelo dragged wide before Lucas Vazquez hit the post with a glorious chance in the 33rd.

The hosts finally doubled their lead six minutes before the break when Marcelo sent in a low cross and Benzema nipped in front of Samuel Umtiti to finish with aplomb past Ter Stegen.

An 11:00 pm kick-off time meant half-time saw Wednesday turn to Thursday and Barca did at least salvage some pride in the early morning with an improved second-half display.

Messi was desperately unlucky not to net a consolation goal as he hit the underside of the bar from a narrow angle.

The visitors’ night was summed up when Suarez headed against the post with the goal gaping after Keylor Navas had parried Messi’s driven shot into his path.

And there could be even worse news to come for Barca as Suarez ended the game visibly suffering from a knee injury after running into Navas.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2017