Cristiano Ronaldo scored a sensational goal and was then sent off for a combination of his provocative celebration and for diving as Real Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1 in an explosive Spanish Super Cup first- leg on Sunday.
Gerard Pique scored an own goal early in the second half to give Real the lead in the annual curtain raiser between the Liga champion and the King’s Cup holder although Lionel Messi looked to have saved his blushes by scoring a controversial penalty in the 77th after Luis Suarez was fouled.
Substitute Ronaldo rattled in a sensational strike from outside the area three minutes later to restore the advantage, earning a booking for removing his shirt and mimicking Messi’s celebration at the Bernabeu in last April’s Clasico.
Ronaldo was given a second yellow card moments later for diving to attempt to win a penalty and will miss Wednesday’s second-leg at the Bernabeu. After he was ordered off, the Portuguese pushed referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea in frustration.
Barca rallied late in search of an equaliser but Marco Asensio instead extended Madrid’s advantage with a scorching strike from outside the area in the 90th.
The result: Barcelona 1 (Messi 77-pen) lost to Real Madrid 3 (Pique 50-og, Ronaldo 80, Asensio 90).