Real Madrid 2 Barcelona 1 (agg 4-4, Real win on away goals): Jose's men are Super kings

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UPDATED:

23:05 GMT, 29 August 2012

Real Madrid secured their first
Spanish Super Cup since 2008 on away goals after a narrow victory over
arch rivals Barcelona in Wednesday's second leg at the Bernabeu.

The hosts had failed to win in their
last seven home meetings with Barca but went about ending that record
early on with goals in the first 20 minutes from Gonzalo Higuain and
Cristiano Ronaldo.

Super kings: Rela Madrid celebrate

Real deal: Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates victory

The visitors were then reduced to 10 men as Adriano was shown a straight red card for denying Ronaldo a clear goalscoring opportunity, but they regained their composure and were brought back into the game by a stunning free-kick from Lionel Messi just before half-time.

Chances continued to come at both ends after the break but Real failed to make their man advantage count and were nearly made to pay as Messi shot just inches wide deep into stoppage time.

Real had failed to win any of their previous three games this season but they did not seem like a side lacking in confidence as they stormed out of the traps early on.

Sharp shooter: Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain scores the opening goal

Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid

Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid

Higuain should have opened the scoring
on seven minutes when his low effort across Victor Valdes was well
blocked by the keeper, but the Argentinian was gifted his goal only two
minutes later by compatriot Javier Mascherano as the Barca defender
misjudged a long ball forward from Pepe and allowed Higuain to run
through and this time finish low beyond Valdes.

And it was two just nine minutes later as Ronaldo pounced on an error
this time by Gerard Pique. The Portuguese brilliantly back-flicked the
ball into his path and, despite a poor second touch, his powerful shot
rebounded in off Valdes' body.

The chances continued to come for Real as Valdes again denied Higuain
from a narrow angle before Pepe had a header controversially ruled out
for a push on Mascherano.

Hit man: Cristiano Ronaldo scores Real's second goal

Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring

Part of Barca's disorganisation at the back could possibly be put down
to a late change in the starting line-up as the injured Dani Alves had
to be replaced by Jordi Alba with Adriano moving to right-back, and the
Brazilian's torrid evening only lasted 27 minutes as he hauled down
Ronaldo when he seemed set to break free on Valdes once more.

After another unsettling five-minute period for the Catalans, new coach
Tito Vilanova eventually introduced Martin Montoya for Alexis Sanchez
and a return to four at the back seemed to offer the visitors some
comfort as they began to make an impression on the game.

Montoya was inches away from converting a vicious low cross from Andres
Iniesta before Messi did eventually halve the deficit moments before the
interval with an incredible swerving free-kick from 30 yards.

Ronaldo nearly responded with a long-range effort himself that flew just
past and Angel Di Maria also shot narrowly wide as Madrid ended the
half threatening a third.

Who else Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores with a freekick

Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona celebrates with his teamate Xavi Hernandez

However, at the start of the second period, it was Barca's tiki-taka
that began to dictate play as the pace of the game dropped markedly.

Pedro very nearly scored a carbon copy of his goal in the first leg as
Mascherano's perfectly weighted pass saw him through on goal but his
prodded finish did not have enough power to get through Iker Casillas'
legs and the Spain captain collected at the second attempt.

Sami Khedira then nearly restored Real's two-goal cushion but was denied
by another fine Valdes save at the end of a brilliant run.

Barca remained dangerous, though, and another brilliant piece of play
from Messi released Alba through on goal, but he just over-ran the ball
as he rounded Casillas and was eventually crowded out.

Higuain should have given Real breathing space with 11 minutes remaining
but he hit the outside of the post with only Valdes to beat and that
miss nearly cost his side as Barca came desperately close to equalising
in stoppage time.

Firstly, Montoya was denied by a solid save from Casillas before Messi
seemed destined to hand Barca the cup as he found space on his favoured
left side just outside the area but the ball slipped just wide and Real
clung on for their first Super Cup title in four years.