Saudi Arabia is hosting the 41st edition of the Supercopa de España, which has been held on Saudi soil for the past five out of six years. Real Madrid, the 13-time Supercopa winners, have advanced to the final after defeating Mallorca in the semi-finals. If they win, they will equal Barcelona’s all-time record. Real Madrid seems to have the momentum on their side.
In terms of their chances in La Liga, Real Madrid is slightly better positioned than their Catalan rivals. Carlo Ancelotti, the coach of Real Madrid, has a balanced personal record against Barcelona (W10, D3, L10), which highlights the competitiveness of this clash. These matches between the two old rivals are rarely dull, often resulting in hard-fought battles. In fact, six of the last eight Supercopa finals between them have seen at least two goals scored before half-time. Additionally, the last four finals have been decided by multi-goal margins.
Despite playing on distant shores, Barcelona, the 14-time champions, have managed to reach their third consecutive final with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Athletic Club in the semi-final. This win marks Barcelona’s first back-to-back wins across all competitions since November, and with two clean sheets in both games, their solid defense might once again be the key to their success in the upcoming final.
Securing bragging rights over their rivals would provide a much-needed psychological boost for Barcelona, who will be traveling to this match possibly in need of a break after losing control over the title race in the last five La Liga rounds (W1, D1, L3). This will be the 17th Supercopa final contested between these teams, but considering Barcelona’s only triumph in the last five encounters, Hansi Flick’s men might approach this match with some apprehension.
Players to keep an eye on: Rodrygo, who scored in the semi-finals, sealed the deal with the fourth goal in the 4-1 final victory last year. He has been involved in six goals in his 13 head-to-head matches against Barcelona, providing two goals and four assists. On the other hand, Robert Lewandowski from Barcelona has scored twice in four of his last six games, starting with a brace in their 4-0 victory over Real in their most recent league head-to-head.
Noteworthy statistic: In eight out of the last ten Supercopa head-to-head matches, both teams have scored and there have been over 3.5 total goals.
