ISLAMABAD: Barcelona secured a 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in an intense friendly match on Saturday.
Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring early on, followed by late goals from Fermin Lopez and Ferran Torres.
Despite Real Madrid hitting the woodwork five times and creating numerous opportunities, Barcelona’s clinical finishing made the difference. The game, held at AT&T Stadium. The home of NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, had all the excitement and passion of a real derby, even though it was a pre-season warm-up.
In the fourth minute, the crowd erupted when Oriel Romeu’s powerful strike hit the crossbar. But soon after, Barcelona delighted their fans with a well-executed free-kick. Pedri delivered a diagonal pass to Dembele, who confidently found the far corner of the net.
Real Madrid had a chance to equalize when Ronald Araujo committed a handball in the box, but Vinicius Junior’s penalty shot hit the bar. The match continued with non-stop action, including impressive saves and near misses.
Tempers flared after a challenge from Frenkie de Jong on Eder Militao, leading to scuffles between players from both teams. The first half ended with the American referee, Allen Chapman, likely relieved to call for half-time.
Real Madrid’s misfortune continued in the second half, hitting the bar again through Aurelien Tchouameni’s shot. Barcelona secured their victory with substitute Fermin Lopez’s brilliant long-range strike in the 85th minute, assisted by Sergi Roberto.
Despite the flattering scoreline, Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez acknowledged that the match was evenly contested, with both teams having many chances. He expressed concern about his squad’s depth for the upcoming season.
Real Madrid’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, played down the significance of the result and focused on the positive aspects of the match, praising the team’s intensity and numerous opportunities created. He saw the woodwork incidents as unusual and preferable to happen during pre-season games.
