As is often the case, the final of the Supercopa de Espana will be played between two teams Clasico Rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The bitter opponents have played the last two finals and won one each. With Sunday’s win, Madrid will aim to draw level with Barcelona and reach 14 wins in the competition. Los Blancos are the reigning champions but suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat to the Catalan giants in October which is likely to leave them with a headache.
Madrid conquered Mallorca and Barcelona dispatched Athletic Club to reach the final in Saudi Arabia, but both will face tougher battles in the showpiece event as titles and bragging rights are claimed.
Here are four key matchups that could prove decisive El Clasico.
The 2024/25 season was exhausting for Ferland Mendy. The Frenchman underperformed for most of his season and even lost his starting left-back spot at the end of last year. However, having been back in the starting lineup for two of Madrid’s three games in the new year, he expects to be back in the starting lineup on Sunday.
Mendy performed admirably in the semi-final win over Mallorca, keeping a clean sheet and completing more passes than any of his team-mates. It was a confidence-boosting performance but his ego may be bruised and battered by the end of the Supercopa final.
On Sunday evening he will face the insatiable Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old returning from injury in the semi-final win over Athletic Club. He scored in his hour-long comeback and looked as good as ever after a much-needed break.
Mendy put in a shocking performance in his last fight against Yamal, conceding four goals and looking overwhelmed throughout October. Keeping the relentless winger under control is a daunting challenge and one that Mendy must overcome if Madrid are to lift the Middle East trophy.
There were just two minutes between Robert Lewandowski’s goals in the defeat to Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in October. The Poland international proved far too much for the Spanish champions on this occasion, as his movement and physicality wreaked havoc on Antonio Rüdiger and Eder Militao.
With Militao sidelined for the rest of the season and David Alaba yet to return after a long layoff, defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni – who is in no trouble after suffering a blow to the head – will be tasked with quelling Lewandowski on Sunday. The France international has played regularly as a centre-back this season, but that is certainly not his preferred role.
Given the damage Lewandowski has caused in league play, Carlo Ancelotti will need to provide additional motivation and leadership to Tchouameni on Sunday, who will likely be in the veteran Barcelona striker’s sights.
Jude Bellingham endured an unusually difficult period in the early months of the current campaign but has since bounced back to life. Seven goals in nine games since the start of December tell the story of a formidable force rediscovering its skills at a crucial point in the season.
The Englishman has already registered El Clasicowho decided both La Liga games with injury-time goals in his debut season, and La Bluagrana’s lack of presence in the defensive midfield were evident.
However, this part of Europe’s toughest derby could be different. Marc Casado will have the responsibility of denying Bellingham any joy, which he did effectively in the 4-0 win earlier this season. With his tackling and soaking up the ground, he impressively limited the space for Madrid’s dangerous midfielders.
Whether Casado can do the same against a resurgent Bellingham remains to be seen, but it will be a fascinating duel between two young dynamos in the engine room.
Kylian Mbappe’s debut Clasico was something he probably pushed to the background. Madrid’s number 9 was constantly offside and was outsmarted by Barcelona’s defense. He had a bad evening from which he found it difficult to recover. At least until recently.
In the final weeks of 2024, Mbappe began to find his way, scoring five goals in December to silence those who had already written off the former Paris Saint-Germain superstar. That form has yet to continue in the new year – he has failed to score in Madrid’s three games this season – but there are glimmers of hope for Mbappe as he seeks revenge on Sunday.
17-year-old Pau Cubarsi, who put in an excellent performance to frustrate Mbappe Clasico Bow, could be the recipient of this power in Jeddah. The teenager has rarely looked overwhelmed on the biggest stage and is now becoming increasingly familiar with what is expected at such gigantic games.
Keeping Mbappe calm is no easy task and Cubarsi is hoping for another bad day for the World Cup winner. He will need a lot of support from centre-back partner Inigo Martinez, who has proven to be a perfect replacement for Cubarsi for much of the season.