Rematching their 2023 final matchup, Real Madrid and Barcelona, the bitter rivals of El Clasico, will square off in the Spanish Supercopa final in Riyadh on January 14. With a 3-1 victory over Los Blancos in the 2023 final, Xavi Hernandez won his first championship as Barcelona’s manager. The Catalans will look to defend their crown in the Middle East.
After a thrilling 5-3 extra-time victory over Atletico Madrid in the semifinals, Carlo Ancelotti’s team advanced to the finals while Barcelona defeated Osasuna 2-0 in the other semifinal match.
Both sides enter this game fresh off of successful seasons in all competitions in 2024, and they appear poised to compete for the La Liga championship in the coming months.
Earlier this season, Jude Bellingham’s double helped Ancelotti’s squad defeat Barcelona 2-1 in La Liga in Catalonia. At the moment, however, Barcelona is playing catch up in their league title defense, and Ancelotti’s club appears to have the little advantage.
Barca’s dominant defense from the previous campaign has diminished, and their victory over Osasuna marked their first clean sheet since a rout of Atletico Madrid on December 3. The team has been severely impacted by the long-term injuries sustained by Gavi, Marcos Alonso, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Raphinha and Joao Cancelo are also sidelined for this match.
