The Spanish Super Cup final itself is no longer so tempting, given that the tournament is more of a commercial one. But El Clasico in El Riyadh will be quite an attractive sight. Both opponents made it to the final through a series of 11-meter strikes, which only added to the chances to please the lucky ticket holders with another blockbuster performed by two superclubs. The Galacticos have a chance to keep the trophy, because it is the Whites who are its current title holder. In addition, Los Blancos have a chance to catch up with the Catalans in terms of the number of victories in this competition. Chances are at the helm, given Carlo Ancelotti, who has just been nominated for the 2022 FIFA Coach of the Year award after winning four trophies since August 2021. Here it is impossible not to remember that in La Liga the “creamy” are already three points behind “Bars” in the tournament race, which will only add motivation to them. For 16 rounds the team has 12 victories and two peaceful outcomes, which correspond to 38 points and a defeat in the last round from Villarreal (1:2). Camavinga, Militao, Chuameni, Lucas and Alaba, who has a leg injury, will not be able to play today.
For the Catalans, this fight is crucial, since the team failed to get a single trophy last season, while it is good to give a boost to Xavi’s dynasty to secure the first gold for Barcelona under his leadership. Moreover, despite a three-point lead in Spain’s top league, victory today is a matter of principle, with the Blue Garnet manager saying that if there were no titles this season, the media would “kill” him. Moreover, in the first El Clasico, Barca were defeated 1:3. However, the nominal guests have eight fights without defeat in all competitions, which is the best result for the Spaniard since April 2022. In the last duels before moving to Saudi Arabia, the Blaugranas made it to the next stage of the King’s Cup and beat Atletico Madrid (1:0) in the last round. So far, Depay and Ballerin’s entry to the field is questionable.
