Barcelona and Real Madrid lock horns in the final of the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday, with both sides seeking to claim their first major silverware of 2025-26.
These two giants meet in the final for the fourth consecutive year, and this fixture promises to be a thrilling encounter at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid – Match preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 11th January
- Kick-off: 7pm BST
- Venue: Alinma Bank Stadium, Jeddah
- Referee: José Luis Munuera Montero
- Last meeting: Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona, La Liga, 26 October 2025
Barcelona team news
Marc-André ter Stegen remains sidelined with a knee injury and is tentatively expected to return around mid-January with a potential comeback targeted for a domestic fixture against Racing Santander. Andreas Christensen suffered an ACL injury during a training session earlier this month, ruling him out for an extended period.
Central midfielder Gavi continues his recovery from knee surgery after undergoing an operation to address a medial meniscus injury and is not expected to return until the early part of 2026.
Ronald Araujo has a chance of returning to the squad as he is back in full training with the Catalan side, though it is likely that Eric García will again line up alongside Pau Cubarsí in the middle. Marcus Rashford, Robert Lewandowski and Roony Bardghji could miss out on starting roles, such is the strength of Flick’s forward options.
Real Madrid team news
Manager Xabi Alonso has received a major boost with French superstar Kylian Mbappé confirming he will travel to Saudi Arabia after recovering from a knee injury. “He is feeling much better, has trained well, and the feedback is positive. His chances of playing are equal to those of all other available players,” Alonso stated in the post-match press conference. Mbappé, who leads La Liga with 18 goals this season, had missed Real Madrid’s last two matches due to his injury.
However, the club faces mounting defensive concerns. Éder Militao remains on the sidelines with a severe hamstring injury and is absent for at least another couple of months. Antonio Rüdiger emerged as a major doubt after experiencing discomfort in his left knee during the semi-final clash with Atlético; he battled through 69 minutes before being substituted, and with the final only three days away at the time, it was unlikely that he would be risked.
Raul Asencio was replaced in the 69th minute alongside Rüdiger after signalling that he could not continue with a thigh problem, though recent reports suggest he should be fine for the final. Rodrygo took a heavy knock in the latter stages of the Atlético clash and will need to be assessed ahead of the final. Trent Alexander-Arnold remains unavailable with a thigh injury, while Brahim Díaz is unavailable while representing Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Form
Barcelona
Hansi Flick’s Barcelona is in exceptional form with a dominant 5-0 display against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. Barcelona have kept five consecutive clean sheets and scored 26 goals during their nine-game winning run across all competitions. In La Liga specifically, the Catalan club have won nine matches in succession and currently leads Real Madrid by four points at the summit. Their form has been described as “flying” by opposing manager Xabi Alonso.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory over Atlético Madrid in fiercely contested circumstances in the semi-final. The match was marked by high intensity, physical confrontations, and defensive fortitude. Manager Xabi Alonso noted: “It was a fiercely contested semi-final. The team competed well and knew how to endure. They held firm at 2-1”. This victory extended their winning streak to five consecutive matches across all tournaments before the final.
Predicted lineups
Barcelona: J Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, E Garcia, Balde; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Raphinha, Fermin; F Torres
Real Madrid: Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Camavinga, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
How to watch Barcelona vs Real Madrid?
UK viewers can watch the Barcelona vs Real Madrid Spanish Super Cup final live on TNT Sports 1.
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