Barcelona enter Sunday night’s Spanish Super Cup final full of confidence after a dominant semi-final display against Athletic Club. The Catalan giants raced into a four-goal lead by half-time and comfortably saw out the contest, barely needing to shift through the gears. That convincing victory not only underlined their current form but also allowed Hansi Flick’s side extra recovery time ahead of another high-stakes El Clásico.
Raphinha was the standout performer in midweek, scoring twice, while Fermin López, Ferran Torres and Roony Bardghji also got on the scoresheet as Barcelona booked their place in the final in emphatic fashion. The Blaugrana are now aiming to lift the Spanish Super Cup for a record 16th time, having beaten Real Madrid 5-2 in last season’s final.
Barcelona bring a nine-match winning streak in all competitions into this clash and have not lost a domestic fixture since their 2-1 La Liga defeat to Real Madrid at the end of October. Confidence is high within Flick’s squad, and recent history also favours them, with four wins from their last five meetings against Los Blancos. This weekend’s showdown will mark the 263rd competitive encounter between the two great rivals.
Real Madrid faced a far sterner test in their semi-final, edging past Atlético Madrid 2-1 in a tense and physical contest. Federico Valverde opened the scoring with a stunning long-range free kick before Rodrygo doubled the lead early in the second half. Atlético responded through Alexander Sørloth, setting up a nervy finale, but Xabi Alonso’s side held firm to secure their place in the final.
Los Blancos have won the Spanish Super Cup on 13 occasions, most recently in 2024 when they defeated Barcelona 4-1. However, they currently trail their rivals by four points in the La Liga standings, adding extra significance to this encounter as both clubs continue to chase success across multiple competitions.
In terms of team news, Barcelona remain without Gavi, Marc-André ter Stegen and Andreas Christensen due to injury. Lamine Yamal is expected to return to the starting lineup after featuring from the bench in the semi-final, while Ronald Araújo is back in full training but may not yet be ready to start. Flick also has impressive depth in attack, with several high-profile names competing for places.
Real Madrid have been boosted by the return of Kylian Mbappé from a knee injury, and the French forward could be reinstated straight into the starting XI. However, injuries remain a concern, with several players requiring late fitness checks following the semi-final.
Although the Spanish Super Cup may not define the season for either side, the importance of El Clásico cannot be overstated. With Barcelona in outstanding form and Real Madrid eager to reclaim the trophy, Sunday’s final promises intensity, quality and drama worthy of Spanish football’s biggest rivalry.
