Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to face off in the Spanish Super Cup final in Jeddah on Sunday. This marks the fourth consecutive time the two rivals will compete in the final since the tournament switched to a four-team format in 2020 and relocated to Saudi Arabia. The upcoming match is a rematch of last season’s Copa del Rey final, where Barcelona emerged victorious with a 3-2 win after extra time in April.
Barcelona, currently leading La Liga’s scoring charts with a four-point advantage over their main competitor, arrived in Saudi Arabia amid uncertainties surrounding Xabi Alonso’s future as Real Madrid’s coach. Real Madrid secured their spot in the final by defeating Atletico Madrid in the semifinals. Despite Atletico’s strong performance, Real Madrid’s victory was aided by poor finishing and exceptional goalkeeping from Thibaut Courtois.
Real Madrid had to put in a significant effort to overcome Atletico, with both teams showing signs of exhaustion after the semifinal match. Additionally, Real Madrid will have 24 hours less to recover compared to Barcelona before the final. Injury concerns loom over Real Madrid, with central defender Antonio Rudiger likely sidelined due to a knee issue, and doubts surrounding Rodrygo’s availability due to a muscle problem.
The absence of key players may force Real Madrid to make defensive adjustments, potentially pairing Dean Huijsen or Aurelien Tchouameni with Raul Asencio in central defense. The participation of top scorer Kylian Mbappe remains uncertain due to a knee injury, although he traveled to Jeddah with the team. Alonso, in a pre-final press conference, hinted at the possibility of Mbappe’s involvement but emphasized the club’s cautious approach towards the player’s fitness.
Even if Mbappe does not feature in the final, his presence in Jeddah could impact the dynamics of the match, raising expectations among Real Madrid supporters and introducing an element of unpredictability for Barcelona. With memories of Barcelona’s 5-2 victory over Real Madrid in the previous season’s corresponding fixture, Alonso is determined to avoid a similar outcome in the upcoming final.
