Daijiworld Media Network - Jeddah
Jeddah, Jan 10: Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to renew their storied rivalry in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, marking the fourth consecutive time the two giants have met in the tournament’s title match since it switched to a four-team format and relocated to Saudi Arabia in 2020.
The showdown also revisits last season’s Copa del Rey final, where Barcelona edged past Real Madrid 3-2 after extra time in April. Earlier this season, however, Real Madrid claimed a narrow 2-1 victory over Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu in October.
Barcelona arrive in Jeddah in strong form, leading La Liga’s scoring charts and holding a four-point advantage over their arch-rivals. Real Madrid, by contrast, come into the final amid speculation surrounding the future of head coach Xabi Alonso, despite reaching the final with a semifinal win over Atletico Madrid.
Although Alonso’s side defeated Atletico, they were second-best for large portions of the match and relied heavily on missed chances by their opponents and an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Such lapses could prove costly against Barcelona, who are expected to be far more clinical, especially with teenage star Lamine Yamal well-rested after only a brief appearance in their convincing semifinal win over Athletic Bilbao.
Real Madrid were pushed to their limits in the semifinal, with visible fatigue setting in by the end of the match. Compounding their challenge is the fact that they have had 24 hours less recovery time than Barcelona.
Injury concerns also loom large for Alonso. Central defender Antonio Rudiger is expected to miss the final due to a knee issue, while Rodrygo, who found the net in the semifinal, remains doubtful with a muscle problem. As a result, Dean Huijsen or Aurelien Tchouameni may be required to slot into central defence alongside Raul Asencio.
There is also uncertainty over the availability of Kylian Mbappe. Real Madrid’s leading scorer sat out the semifinal with a knee injury but travelled to Jeddah after the match. Alonso declined to rule out Mbappe’s involvement in the final, stressing that the club would not take unnecessary risks with such a key player.
Even if Mbappe does not feature, his presence alone is expected to energize Real Madrid supporters and add an element of unpredictability for Barcelona.
After suffering a heavy 5-2 defeat to Barcelona in last season’s corresponding fixture, Alonso will be keen to ensure his side delivers a far more competitive performance this time around.