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Vinicius Jr treble in Real Super Cup win over Barcelona

 Vinicius Jr scored a first-half hat-trick as Real Madrid beat Barcelona to win the Span­ish Super Cup.

The winger scored twice in the first 10 minutes to put Carlo Ancelotti’s side in control in Saudi Arabia.

Robert Lewandowski pulled one back for Barca with a superb volley but Vinicius converted a 39th-minute penalty to restore Los Blancos’ two-goal lead.

Rodrygo then added a fourth in the second half before Ronald Araujo was sent off to complete Barca’s misery.

Vinicius, who has recently returned from tearing a ham­string in November, celebrated his opener with Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous ‘SIU’ goal celebration in­side Al Nassr’s King Saud Univer­sity Stadium – where the former Real Madrid man currently plays.

He said: “The celebration was dedicated to Cristiano Ronaldo, because he is my idol and now he plays here.”

Victory was Madrid’s third straight in El Clasico and gave them a 13th Super Cup success – one behind Barcelona’s record 14 wins.

Jude Bellingham was key to the opening goal, playing the ball in behind the high line of Barcelona for Vinicius to race on to and round goalkeeper Inaki Pena to score.

Three minutes later it was Rodrygo timing his run in behind to perfection to expose Xavi’s side before crossing for Vinicius to slide in at the back post.

Barca responded well and got themselves back into the game when Alejandro Balde’s cross was only headed out to the edge of the box, allowing Lewandowski to thump in a first-time finish.

But just a few minutes later, the referee adjudged that Vini­cius had been pulled down in the box by Araujo as he tried to get on the end of a cross.

Complaints from Barca were ignored and the 23-year-old Brazil international confidently slotted home the spot-kick to complete his second Madrid hat-trick.

With Barca throwing players forward to try and get back into the match after half-time, Ma­drid continued to threaten on the break and Rodrygo capital­ised on some sloppy defending to stroke in the fourth.

It got worse for Barcelona as Araujo’s frustrations got the better of him and he scythed down Vinicius to earn himself a second yellow card with 20 minutes remaining.

Bellingham had a shot cleared off the line as Madrid went in search of a fifth but Barca avoided any further pun­ishment in the closing stages. —BBC

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