Who: Actual Madrid vs Barcelona
What: Spanish Tremendous Cup ultimate
The place: King Abdullah Sports activities Town, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
When: 10:00pm (19:00 GMT) on Sunday
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Actual Madrid professor Carlo Ancelotti mentioned his gamers can avenge their thrashing previous this season by way of Barcelona by way of successful the Spanish Tremendous Cup on Sunday, however provided that they have shyed away from making the similar errors.
Hansi Flick’s Barcelona routed Los Blancos 4-0 on the Santiago Bernabeu in October in LaLiga, even though a hunch prior to the wintry weather split helped Actual Madrid overtake them on the lead of the desk.
“We have to think about that game obviously, they beat us, we had a clear evaluation of what happened,” Ancelotti instructed a information convention Saturday prior to the hit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“We began the sport smartly, upcoming had issues in the second one 1/2, so we need to effort and repeat the great things we did and steer clear of the errors we made.
“The Clasico is even more pressured when it’s a final, we’ve played a lot against Barcelona and playing a final against them is always something special.”
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 recreation next the arriving of French celebrity Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain final moment.
In conjunction with Vinicius Yongster, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Is going, the 4 gamers give Madrid a vital edge in the future however can harm the crew if they don’t seem to be centered defensively.
“[In recent Clasicos] individual quality has prevailed over team balance,” endured Ancelotti. “An notable side [in the final] will probably be steadiness and collective paintings – protecting.
“If you defend well, there’s more chance of winning.”
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 professor on the finish of final season, mentioned Olmo used to be able to play games however prompt he may no longer get started next Gavi shone within the semifinal in opposition to Athletic Bilbao within the attacking midfield function.
“Gavi had a great performance against Athletic, he’s got confidence … I think he’s is going to play, but I am not 100-percent sure of who will play,” mentioned Flick.
The Tremendous Cup offer the German professor his first probability at silverware since arriving at Barcelona.
“If we win, we will have more confidence for the rest of the season,” added Flick. “Winning the game would be something really big for everyone.”
What’s the Supercopa de Espana?
The Supercopa pits in combination the winners and runners-up of each the Spanish home league, LaLiga, and Spain’s home cup pageant, Copa del Rey.
Despite the fact that first performed in 1982, between the league and cup winners lonely, it used to be expanded to 4 groups in 2020.
Actual Madrid are the stream league champions, with Barcelona completing 2nd, era Athletic Bilbao are the cup holders, having defeated Mallorca in final season’s ultimate.
The place will the Spanish Supercopa ultimate be performed?
This moment’s Supercopa is being staged in Saudi Arabia with all 3 suits staged at King Abdullah Sports activities Town Stadium in Jeddah.
The venue, which performs host to the Saudi nationwide crew and will probably be a part of the 2034 International Cup, has already hosted the 2 semifinals.
Who’re the Supercopa holders?
Actual Madrid received the 2024 Supercopa, defeating Barcelona 4-1 within the ultimate.
Ultimate moment’s version used to be additionally staged in Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh the host town on that pace.
Vinicius Yongster scored a first-half hat-trick for Los Blancos, era Rodrygo sealed issues in the second one duration next Robert Lewandowski netted the one function for Barca.
Actual beat Madrid opponents Atletico of their semifinal, era Barca overcame Osasuna.
Actual Madrid crew information
Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham are all to be had for variety for the general in spite of gathering knocks in Thursday’s semifinal.
Luca Modric left-overs the primary lack of certainty for Los Blancos next retreating at the future 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 crew information
Dani Olmo and Pau Victor are each to be had to play games for Barca next transient registrations had been granted to the pair following the membership’s protracted dispute with Spain’s splendid sports activities council.
Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen all stay absent for Barcelona, for whom the most important query is who will exchange the extreme in function.
Former Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny used to be passed the gloves for the semifinal win in opposition to Athletic Bilbao, however Inaki Pena is being tipped to to enter the function for the general.
Predicted Barcelona XI: Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde; Casado, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Mode information – Actual Madrid:
Actual have crash mode on the proper year with 5 instantly wins recorded and 7 victories coming in an eight-match unbeaten run. Previous to that, Los Blancos had misplaced 4 in their earlier seven video games, together with their humbling at house by way of Barca. Ultimate 5 video games: W W W W W
Mode information – Barcelona:
Barcelona seem to be slowly rising from their worst run of the season with successive wins recorded for the primary year in 11 video games. Previous to that, the Catalan membership had received best 3 of 9, with 4 defeats suffered in that run. This all got here next Hansi Flick received 14 of his first 16 video games in fee this season. Ultimate 5 video games: W L L W W
Head-to-head:
Actual have received 105 of the 258 conferences between the perimeters, with Barca rising victorious on 101 events.
Actual had received the final 4 conferences between the perimeters – together with the Spanish Tremendous Cup in January and the Copa del Rey assembly final season – prior to October’s 4-0 defeat in LaLiga.