Many theoretical approaches find d-wave superconductivity in the prototypical one-band Hubbard model for high-temperature superconductors. At strong-coupling (U ≥ W , where U is the on-site repulsion and W = 8t the bandwidth) pairing is controlled by the exchange energy J = 4t 2 /U . One may then surmise, ignoring retardation effects, that near-neighbor Coulomb repulsion V will destroy superconductivity when it becomes larger than J, a condition that is easily satisfied in cuprates for example. Using Cellular Dynamical Mean-Field theory with an exact diagonalization solver for the extended Hubbard model, we show that pairing at strong coupling is preserved, even when V J, as long as V U/2. While at weak coupling V always reduces the spin fluctuations and hence d-wave pairing, at strong coupling, in the underdoped regime, the increase of J = 4t 2 /(U − V ) caused by V increases binding at low frequency while the pair-breaking effect of V is pushed to high frequency. These two effects compensate in the underdoped regime, in the presence of a pseudogap. While the pseudogap competes with superconductivity, the proximity to the Mott transition that leads to the pseudogap, and retardation effects, protect d-wave superconductivity from V .