Who: Actual Madrid vs Barcelona
What: Spanish Tremendous Cup last
The place: King Abdullah Sports activities Metropolis, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
When: 10:00pm (19:00 GMT) on Sunday
Comply with Al Jazeera’s reside textual content and picture build-up and commentary stream.
Actual Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti mentioned his gamers can avenge their thrashing earlier this season by Barcelona by profitable the Spanish Tremendous Cup on Sunday, however provided that they prevented making the identical errors.
Hansi Flick’s Barcelona routed Los Blancos 4-0 on the Santiago Bernabeu in October in LaLiga, though a hunch earlier than the winter break helped Actual Madrid overtake them on the high of the desk.
“We’ve got to consider that sport clearly, they beat us, we had a transparent analysis of what occurred,” Ancelotti advised a information convention Saturday earlier than the conflict in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“We began the sport nicely, then had issues within the second half, so we have now to attempt to repeat the nice issues we did and keep away from the errors we made.
“The Clasico is much more pressured when it’s a last, we’ve performed quite a bit in opposition to Barcelona and enjoying a last in opposition to them is at all times one thing particular.”
Can Madrid discover a steadiness for Mbappe, Bellingham and co?
Madrid, who beat Mallorca 3-0 of their semifinal on Thursday, are nonetheless looking for a steadiness between assault and defence of their sport after the arrival of French celebrity Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain final yr.
Together with Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes, the 4 gamers give Madrid a big edge going ahead however can damage the staff if they don’t seem to be centered defensively.
“[In recent Clasicos] particular person high quality has prevailed over staff steadiness,” continued Ancelotti. “An necessary side [in the final] will likely be steadiness and collective work – defending.
“In the event you defend nicely, there’s extra likelihood of profitable.”
Ancelotti previously said his worst memory from a successful 2024, in which Madrid won LaLiga and the Champions League, was the beating by Barcelona.
“We’re close to another trophy, we’re thinking positively, but we know that in football anything can happen, above all when the opponent is strong and competes well like Barcelona,” added Ancelotti, whose side have won both the European Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup already this season.
“Our team has improved, nobody can argue with that. A defeat wouldn’t be good, but the team is not going backwards, it will keep moving forwards.”
Will Barcelona bring the temporarily reprieved Olmo in for Gavi?
Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo will be able to play after the Catalans were controversially granted a temporary licence for him by Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD).
The Spanish international’s clearance came too late on Wednesday for him to play a part in the Catalan club’s 2-0 semifinal win against Athletic Bilbao.
“Olmo will play and we have to minimise his quality,” said Ancelotti, who has resisted giving his opinion about the case which has aggravated Spanish football.
Flick, who changed Barca enjoying legend Xavi as coach on the finish of final season, mentioned Olmo was able to play however prompt he may not begin after Gavi shone within the semifinal in opposition to Athletic Bilbao within the attacking midfield position.
“Gavi had an incredible efficiency in opposition to Athletic, he’s received confidence … I feel he’s goes to play, however I’m not 100-percent certain of who will play,” mentioned Flick.
The Tremendous Cup affords the German coach his first likelihood at silverware since arriving at Barcelona.
“If we win, we may have extra confidence for the remainder of the season,” added Flick. “Profitable the sport can be one thing actually massive for everybody.”
What’s the Supercopa de Espana?
The Supercopa pits collectively the winners and runners-up of each the Spanish home league, LaLiga, and Spain’s home cup competitors, Copa del Rey.
Though first performed in 1982, between the league and cup winners alone, it was expanded to 4 groups in 2020.
Actual Madrid are the present league champions, with Barcelona ending second, whereas Athletic Bilbao are the cup holders, having defeated Mallorca in final season’s last.
The place will the Spanish Supercopa last be performed?
This yr’s Supercopa is being staged in Saudi Arabia with all three matches staged at King Abdullah Sports activities Metropolis Stadium in Jeddah.
The venue, which performs host to the Saudi nationwide staff and will likely be a part of the 2034 World Cup, has already hosted the 2 semifinals.
Who’re the Supercopa holders?
Actual Madrid gained the 2024 Supercopa, defeating Barcelona 4-1 within the last.
Final yr’s version was additionally staged in Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh the host metropolis on that event.
Vinicius Junior scored a first-half hat-trick for Los Blancos, whereas Rodrygo sealed issues within the second interval after Robert Lewandowski netted the one purpose for Barca.
Actual beat Madrid rivals Atletico of their semifinal, whereas Barca overcame Osasuna.
Actual Madrid staff information
Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham are all obtainable for choice for the ultimate regardless of accumulating knocks in Thursday’s semifinal.
Luca Modric stays the primary doubt for Los Blancos after withdrawing on the day of the last-four victory in opposition to Mallorca.
Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal each stay sidelined.
Actual Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger; Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr
Hansi Flick 🤝 Carlo Ancelotti#ElClásico pic.twitter.com/aVPsUtsIIC
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 11, 2025
Barcelona staff information
Dani Olmo and Pau Victor are each obtainable to play for Barca after momentary registrations have been granted to the pair following the membership’s protracted dispute with Spain’s supreme sports activities council.
Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen all stay absent for Barcelona, for whom the largest query is who will exchange the latter in purpose.
Former Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny was handed the gloves for the semifinal win in opposition to Athletic Bilbao, however Inaki Pena is being tipped to take over the position for the ultimate.
Predicted Barcelona XI: Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde; Casado, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Type information – Actual Madrid:
Actual have hit kind on the proper time with 5 straight wins recorded and 7 victories coming in an eight-match unbeaten run. Previous to that, Los Blancos had misplaced 4 of their earlier seven video games, together with their humbling at house by Barca. Final 5 video games: W W W W W
Type information – Barcelona:
Barcelona look like slowly rising from their worst run of the season with successive wins recorded for the primary time in 11 video games. Previous to that, the Catalan membership had gained solely three of 9, with 4 defeats suffered in that run. This all got here after Hansi Flick gained 14 of his first 16 video games in cost this season. Final 5 video games: W L L W W
Head-to-head:
Actual have gained 105 of the 258 conferences between the edges, with Barca rising victorious on 101 events.
Actual had gained the final 4 conferences between the edges – together with the Spanish Tremendous Cup in January and the Copa del Rey assembly final season – earlier than October’s 4-0 defeat in LaLiga.
