Real Madrid will play Barcelona this Sunday again, but this time in the final of the Spanish Supercup, which will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Steeped in the history of the rivalry between them, this will determine the first big trophy of the 2024/25 Spanish soccer season.
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Real Madrid: Riding high on momentum and seeking revenge
Real Madrid enters this match very much in form, with their five-game winning run a boost of confidence ahead of the final. Their commanding 3-0 semifinal win against Mallorca set them into this championship game but also extended an unbeaten eight-match run for them. Such consistent form brings them right back into the shortlist of favorites to secure the title.
Yet, the bitterness still lingers on with their last El Clásico. Barcelona convincingly defeated Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in October, leaving them wounded from that defeat. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti gave reason to know during a press conference that indeed precious lessons were gained from that outing, insisting on the need to repeat what they did right, correcting the ones that went amiss.
Real Madrid are one of the powerhouses in this competition, with 13 Spanish Supercup titles. Memories of Vinicius Junior's hat-trick in their last final against Barcelona still remain fresh in their minds. Ancelotti was aware of the importance of individual brilliance in such games but pointed out that collective balance is necessary to take on their Catalan rivals.
"If we defend well, we'll have a better chance of winning. It's an unpredictable game. We know what we need to do to minimize risks, but nobody can foresee the outcome as so many factors come into play. What we are able to do is perform to the best of our abilities during the match, and I'm confident that tomorrow we will play very well. That said, it's not 100% decisive for the final result", Ancelotti pointed out.
Barcelona: Under a cloud and seeking redemption
On the other hand, Barcelona is at a rebuilding phase. Having lost their grip on the top of La Liga, Hansi Flick's squad views the Supercup for one final opportunity to get back on track to the form they showed earlier in the season. The 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the semifinals brought some relief but also exposed weaknesses they will have to fix if they are to stand a chance against Real Madrid.
Now, with Dani Olmo officially registered, the German coach has a very important piece for his lineup. With Olmo's shining in the last weeks, he could be that X-factor that Barcelona needs. Besides that, young stars like Gavi and Lamine Yamal sealed their place in the semifinals and proved they are also very strong pillars of the future.
Barca is the most decorated team in Spanish Supercup history with 14 titles and are keen to pull further away at the top. Flick admitted the importance of his first trophy with the club, saying they needed to play in the trademark "Barça style" of high-intensity possession soccer. But he accepted that the kind of mistakes they made against Athletic will be punished by a team as clinical as Real Madrid.
"My players need to block out the noise around them. We have to be mentally strong. The way we want to play is the Barça way, which worked so well in the last Clásico", Flick said.
The balance of power and the unpredictability of an El Clásico
Finals are often unpredictable, but a Clásico adds another dimension to that unpredictability. It's often a game of individual brilliance, as Ancelotti said: "In these games, individual quality tends to outweigh team balance and collective play. There's such a high quality on the field that it takes over."
Flick, however, countered by stressing that consistency and teamwork would be crucial to handling the strength of their opponents. "We need to prepare the team well. That's what matters. It's a big game for everyone, and winning it would be fantastic. It'd give us a boost for the rest of the season", he said.