Real Madrid beat Atlético de Madrid 2–1 in Jeddah and booked a spot in the Spanish Super Cup final carrying something that goes beyond the result itself, a clear strategic edge for Sunday’s el clásico against Barcelona. The win came with goals from Valverde and Rodrygo, with Sorloth pulling one back, and left an obvious hook for the final at King Abdullah Sports City, the possibility of having Kylian Mbappé available.
Mbappé, the secret weapon that changes the clásico
After the match, Xabi Alonso confirmed that the forward will join the squad in Saudi Arabia and did not rule out using him against Barcelona: “Mbappé arrives (this Friday), and the game will be different. He’s much better, he’s trained, and the feelings are good. The possibilities are the same for all players.” The comment doesn’t guarantee he’ll be on the field, but it does confirm the Frenchman is available, something that wasn’t the case in Real’s two previous games.
This is where the story adds another layer. Mbappé hasn’t played since December 20, when he scored in the 2–0 win over Sevilla, and he missed the matches against Betis and Atlético after suffering a sprain in his left knee during the final training session before the holiday break.
Even so, he remains the top scorer in La Liga and the Champions League and was Real Madrid’s best player in the first half of the season. Even without any guarantee of minutes, his mere presence changes the atmosphere around the final, influences decisions on the bench, affects the opponent’s defensive planning, and adds a level of unpredictability Barcelona can’t ignore.
A title on the line, one detail that matters
Not everything, though, is calm. While the news up front is positive, there’s concern at the back. Antonio Rüdiger played through pain against Atlético de Madrid, had to be replaced in the second half, and has slim chances of featuring in the final. The possible absence of the German center back is a concrete issue for Xabi Alonso and a direct counterpoint to the good news surrounding Mbappé, a weapon that wasn’t available in the semifinal. In a final, that alone can be enough to change the game.
The Spanish Super Cup final brings two giants together on neutral ground, with little recovery time and quick decisions required. A clásico is a clásico, and anything can happen once the ball starts rolling.