The latest El Clasico will unfold at King Abdullah Sports City on Sunday as Real Madrid face Barcelona for the Spanish Super Cup title.
Real Madrid will be looking to secure their 14th Super Cup when they square up against Barcelona, who have the best record in the competition with 14 titles. The two teams met in the final last season with Los Blancos clinching the title with a 4-1 win.
The team in white have made it to the final on the back of a 3-0 win over RCD Mallorca on Thursday night. Los Blancos have already won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup this season and now have the opportunity to lift their third title.
Meanwhile, the Blaugrana secured a spot in the final with a 2-0 win over Athletic Club on Wednesday night. While Barcelona started the season in fine fashion, things went downhill towards the end of 2024. But, a win here can surely get things back on track for them.
Barcelona hammered Real Madrid 4-0 in their league meeting earlier in the season. It was a dominant performance by Hansi Flick’s team, and they will be looking for something similar. Having already suffered that kind of defeat, the team in white will enter this fixture with a desire to settle the score. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could use.
Team News & Tactics
Real Madrid
Luka Modric’s involvement remains a doubt as he missed the semi-final because of an illness. There are some concerns around the fitness of Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham. But, all of them are expected to feature in the Real Madrid eleven against Barcelona. Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao remain on the sidelines, while David Alaba is not yet match ready.
Carlo Ancelotti will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, with Thibaut Courtois back in goal. Lucas Vazquez and Ferland Mendy should be the full-backs. In the heat of the defence, Tchouameni should partner with Antonio Rudiger.
In the centre of the park, Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga will form the double pivot. While they will look to control the tempo, the duo might have a lot of defending to do against a team like Barcelona. Bellingham will continue in the number ten role, with Rodrygo Goes and Vinicius Junior on the flanks. Kylian Mbappe will lead the line for Real Madrid against Barcelona.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Vazquez, Tchouameni, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe
Barcelona
Barcelona have a massive boost ahead of the Clasico as Dani Olmo and Pau Victor have been granted temporary registration. Meanwhile, the Catalan giants remain without the services of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Bernal and Andreas Christensen.
While Ronald Araujo is back in the mix, he is unlikely to be involved amidst reports linking him with a move to Juventus. Flick will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, with Wojciech Szczesny in goal. The Polish veteran is all set to feature in his third game in a row.
Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde will feature on the flanks, while Pau Cubarsi will continue to partner with Inigo Martinez in the central defensive pairing. The back four will look to keep things tight against a star-studded Real Madrid attack.
In the centre of the park, Marc Casado will form a double pivot with Pedri. The duo will try to ensure they have the majority of the game. While Olmo is available, he might be asked to start on the bench. Gavi could continue in the number ten role, while Raphinha and Lamine Yamal will be on the flanks. Star striker Robert Lewandowski should continue to lead the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde; Casado, Pedri; Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Key Stats
- Last time when the two teams met in the Spanish Super Cup final, Real Madrid won 4-1.
- Barcelona thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 earlier in the season in La Liga.
- The Catalan giants have the most number of Super Cup titles (14) but Los Blancos can go level with a win here.
- The team in white have won each of their last five games across competitions.
- Barcelona ended 2024 with consecutive defeats but they have started 2025 with consecutive wins.
Player to Watch
Kylian Mbappe
During the last Clasico, Mbappe was still relatively new to the team, and he was not really in top form. As a result, the Frenchman could hardly have any impact on the game. With 13 goals and three assists in the first half, the World Cup winner is surely well set in the team, and he will be eager to make the difference and help his team secure another title.
Prediction
Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona
Having defeated Real Madrid 4-0 in the first half of the season, Barcelona will be confident about getting the job done in the Super Cup final. But, they have not really been in that great a form over the last two months. Meanwhile, Los Blancos have been on a roll of late and they will look to avenge the loss from earlier in the season. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 3-2 win for Ancelotti’s team.
