Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Superfinal in Jeddah and much more than a title at stake

FC Barcelona faces Real Madrid this Sunday, January 11, at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Arabia, (8:00 PM CEST) in the 'Superfinal' of the 2026 Spanish Super Cup. In the third official match of 2026, Hansi Flick's team is aiming for their first title of the 25/26 season and their sixteenth crown in the tournament, second consecutive and third in the last four years against Los Blancos.

With much more than a title at stake, 90 minutes and a penalty shootout can decide the new Super Cup champion, which for the 11th time will be decided by a Clásico. Honor, prestige, and the future for the rest of the season will largely depend on what happens this Sunday in Jeddah with both teams

• 📺 Where and when to watch the match on TV: channels broadcasting Barcelona-Real Madrid LIVE WATCH

The blaugrana team comes from crushing Athletic in the 'semis' (5-0), while Madrid struggled to defeat Atlético (1-2). With an extra day of rest, nine consecutive victories in all competitions, and the winter championship in LaLiga, the Cules arrive as clear favorites for El Clásico.Last season, Flick's team also thrashed Real in the final (2-5) and, since the German coach arrived at the Catalan bench, the Catalans have won four out of five Clásicos, with a record of 17 goals for and 9 against.

• 👉 Lineups: Possible starting XIs for FC Barcelona and Real Madrid: SEE

Flick's Barça Seeks to Win its Third Final Against Real Madrid

Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Alejandro Balde, and Raphinha, with a brace, scored the goals in Barça's 'handful' against Madrid exactly one year ago in Jeddah. Subsequently, the Blaugrana team also won the Copa del Rey against Los Blancos at La Cartuja (3-2), with a spectacular goal from Jules Koundé in extra time and goals in regular time from Pedri and Ferran Torres

Heading into the final, the Catalans are on a roll after defeating Alavés, Atlético, Betis, Eintracht, Osasuna, Guadalajara, Villarreal, Espanyol, and Athletic in what is, for now, their best winning streak of the season (9). Furthermore, eight of the victories were by a narrow margin of 2 goals.

In this regard, Hansi Flick's team arrives at its best moment of the season, with only two absences due to injury (Gavi and Christensen) and five clean sheets in a row, four of them achieved by Joan García. The Sallent-born player will play his first Clásico, as he was out due to injury in the 10th league matchday in October (2-1).

Real, for their part, also arrive with **five consecutive victories**, but with many doubts regarding their playing style, performance, and absences due to injury. The 'Merengues' have Kylian Mbappé in cotton wool, while Antonio Rüdiger will likely be out with a knee injury. Raúl Asencio and Rodrygo Goes also arrive with knocks.

Prior to the derby victory, Madrid struggled to overcome Alavés (1-2), Talavera (2-3), and Sevilla (2-0) before the end of 2025. In the first match of 2026, they thrashed Betis (5-1), marking their first comfortable win since November 1st (4-0 against Valencia).

Flick will be able to count on his gala XI in the Super Cup

Barcelona vs Real Madrid: probable lineups and absences for the Super Cup final

Hansi Flick, unlike Xabi Alonso, will have a majority of starters against Real Madrid. Barring any surprises, the German will keep almost intact the XI that thrashed Athletic, with the exception of Lamine Yamal. The '10' rested against the Basques after overcoming a stomach upset and will share the attack with Raphinha and Ferran Torres.

In goal, Joan García will be between the posts, while Eric García and Pau Cubarsí are set to be the center-backs. On the wings will be Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde. In midfield, Frenkie de Jong should partner Pedri González and Fermín López.

For the complement, Barça will count on key players such as Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford, and Gerard Martín, in addition to other always valuable alternatives like Roony Bardghji, Marc Bernal, and Marc Casadó. Xabi Alonso, on the other hand, arrives with many doubts in the XI and little depth on the bench.

• ℹ️Squad List: The players called up by Hansi Flick for the Spanish Super Cup VIEW

Xabi Alonso, forced to win the Super Cup to keep his job

Madrid will not have Éder Militao, who is practically ruled out for the rest of the season, and probably not with Dean Huijsen or Antonio Rüdiger either. This will force the coach to improvise in defense again, but beyond the doubts in the starting XI, the main problem for the 'Merengue' squad is the absence of a clear playing style

In the last two and a half months, the team has looked disjointed between the lines, with many problems connecting the midfield with the forwards. Rodrygo has ostentatiously improved his level in the last four weeks, but Vinicius has gone more than three months without scoring and rumors about his departure are growing, as are tensions with the fans and the club.

With a Jude Bellingham far from his best and an absent Arda Güler, Real Madrid lacks ideas and, more worryingly, solutions to overcome a slump that began, precisely, after the October Clásico, where the victory at the Bernabéu seemed to boost Xabi Alonso's project.

Now, the Tolosarra knows that a defeat in the Super Cup will leave him on the street. There is no room for error and the alternatives are increasingly scarce for the coach, who clings to epic feats to survive his first season in Chamartín. To make matters worse, **Mbappé** will arrive infiltrated, after an injury that many in the club believe could have been avoided.

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