All is set for FC Barcelona in Saudi Arabia where whey will play for the first title of the season. It is a game that has the potential to define the La Liga season as it's between the main contenders for the league title.
Barcelona, playing their first final since 2021, will be itching to clinch this one and use it as a major morale boost for the remainder of the season. To get to this stage, they hard their work cut out for them though. They were pegged back twice by a very good Real Betis and were forced to penalties, where they won 4-2, thanks majorly to TerStegen's heroics.
They also face a very big obstacle in the final. Very few teams and coaches, if any, are as efficient as Los Blancos and Carlo Ancellotti in finals. Granted they are not at their very best right now, as they too were forced to penalties by a sturdy Valencia, last year's Copa del Rey finalists, where they won 4-3. They still however posess the required mentality and quality to equal Barcelona's 13 Spanish super cup wins later tonight, and at the same time, retain their Super cup crown.
INTERESTING 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.
- 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.
- Barça do not have a pretty record in previous Super Cup Final clashes with the 'old enemy'. Seven times they have met in the decider, and on a frustrating six of those occasions, it has been the all-whites who emerged victorious.
TEAM NEWS
Real Madrid
Carlo Ancellotti will be without David Alaba and Aurelien Tchouameni, who didn't travel to Saudi Arabia. Lucas Vasquez, Eder Militao and Eduardo Camavinga sustained injuries against Valencia and are doubts.
The rest of the team picks itself. Courtois, Carvajal, Nacho, Rudiger and Mendy will line the back, Kross, Modric and Valverde in the midfield and Benzema flanked by the Brazilian duo of Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo.
Barcelona
La Blaugrana have a full squad ahead of this clash which might provide a bit of selection headache for Xavi.
TerStegen is in fine form and will continue between the sticks. Ronald Araujo has proved to be an expert on tying down Vinicius and will likely start at RB, with Koundé, Christensen and Balde completing the defense. Pedri is sure to start, but the remaining spots, yet again, are between Gavi, Frenkie and Busquets, or depending on the tactics, for all of them.
Robert Lewandowski is back to scoring form and will surely start alongside Dembele. The remaining spot in the front line will go to either Ansu Fati,who played a great game against Real Betis or Raphinha, who's beginning to find his feet in Barcelona.
Where are Real Madrid vs Barcelona playing?
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Stadium: King Fahd International Stadium
Date: Sunday 15 January
Kick-off Time: 19:00 GMT / 14:00 EST / 11:00 PST, 20:00 🇳🇬
VAR: Jose Luis Gonzalez Gonzalez
Referee: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoechea
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Both sides struggled in the semifinals and had were pushed to the limit. Los Blancos are a bit fragile defensively which is something Barcelona can exploit.
Xavi's men however, have the annoying habit of not killing games off early enough and will be punished if they let that happen here.
Neither are at their very best, but among many uncertainties, one guarantee is that the latest edition of the greatest club rivalry will be worth tuning in for.
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