Real Madrid will take on Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana final on Sunday, hoping to defend their crown.
The last time Real Madrid and Barcelona met each other in Supercopa de Espana, Los Blancos managed to pick up a 3-2 win in the semi-finals and eventually went on to win the tournament.
Real Madrid come into this game on the back of four wins from their last five matches across all competitions. And they will certainly fancy their chances against their arch-rivals. Meanwhile, Barcelona are in impressive form as well, and they are unbeaten in their last six outings across all competitions.
However, the Catalan giants have a dismal record against Real Madrid in recent seasons. And Xavi Hernandez will be expected to transform their El Clasico fortunes with a win this week.
⚪🟣 🏆 🔵🔴#SuperSupercopa pic.twitter.com/bCBzErBmzv
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 14, 2023
Team News & Tactics
Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti will be without the services of David Alaba and Aurelien Tchouameni on Sunday, with both players ruled out with calf injuries. Meanwhile, Lucas Vazquez picked up a knock against Valencia in the semi-finals and he is set to miss out as well.
Real Madrid are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Thibaut Courtois in goal. Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy will start as the full-backs, and the two players will be expected to contribute significantly to both phases of the game. Meanwhile, Nacho Fernandez is set to partner Antonio Rudiger at the heart of the defense in the absence of Alaba.
The midfield three pretty much picks itself, with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric supported by Federico Valverde. Modric will be expected to control the proceedings in the middle as Kroos looks to break the lines and create chances for his teammates. Valverde will add defensive cover and drive to the Real Madrid midfield.
The absence of Tchouameni could be a major blow for Real Madrid, as they are lacking a specialist holding midfielder now. Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes are expected to line up as the wide forwards here, with Karim Benzema leading the line for Los Blancos.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Nacho, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Modric; Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius
Barcelona
The Catalan giants have a fully fit squad to choose from, and Xavi Hernandez will look to field his strongest lineup against Real Madrid. Barcelona are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation as well, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen in goal.
Jules Kounde and Jordi Alba are expected to line up as the full-backs. Kounde’s defensive ability could be crucial against Vinicius Junior. Alba will be expected to help out in the attack as well as the defense.
Ronald Araujo should partner Andreas Christensen at the heart of Barcelona’s defense. In the midfield, Sergio Busquets will anchor the trifecta and look to win the ball back for his side. Spanish internationals Pedri and Gavi are expected to start alongside him. And the two players will look to add creativity and control in the middle of the park.
Brazilian international Raphinha, whose future is up in the air, is expected to start on the right flank with Ousmane Dembele deployed on the left. Finally, Robert Lewandowski is set to lead the line for Barcelona against REal Madrid.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Alba; Gavi, Busquets, Pedri; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Dembele
Key Stats
- The last six matches between these two teams (five in La Liga, one in the Supercopa) have featured 23 goals combined.
- This will be the 251st meeting between these two clubs in a competitive match, with Real Madrid winning 101 times to Barcelona’s 97. This will be the second edition of El Clasico this season, with Real Madrid recording a 3-1 win in La Liga in October.
- Real Madrid have been the dominant side in their recent meetings against the Blaugrana, recording six wins in seven games.
- Barcelona have kept just one clean sheet in their last five games across competitions, while Real Madrid have two clean sheets.
- Barcelona are unbeaten in 12 matches in which Robert Lewandowski has scored this season across all competitions.
Player to Watch
Federico Valverde
The Uruguayan international has been an exceptional player for Real Madrid since joining the club, and he will have a crucial role in Carlo Ancelotti’s midfield on Sunday. In the absence of Aurelien Tchouameni, Valverde will be expected to fulfill the defensive duties, and he will need to provide the legs for Luka Modric and Toni Kroos as well.
Valverde has shown that he is capable of chipping in with important goals as well. And he is our player to watch in the second El Clasico of the 2022/23 season this weekend.
Prediction
Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona
Despite being without David Alaba and Aurelien Tchouameni against Barcelona, Real Madrid are one of the best teams in the world. And their experience when it comes to grinding out results in the big games is unparalleled.
Barcelona have done quite well this season and will look to give Real Madrid a run for their money. However, Los Blancos have a number of proven match-winners across the pitch and will likely edge this one. It will be a close contest. But The Hard Tackle predicts and narrow 2-1 win for Real Madrid this weekend.
