El Clasico for the first trophy of the season – can it get any better than this?

The Spanish Super Cup may sit behind the Champions League, LaLiga and the Copa del Rey in the traditional trophy pecking order, but its significance has grown well beyond that in recent years. Often acting as an early-season barometer for Spain’s two powerhouses, the competition once again delivers a Clasico showdown, with Barcelona and Real Madrid set to meet in Sunday’s final in Jeddah (22.00).

This will be the fifth time the rivals have faced each other since the Super Cup adopted its four-team format in Saudi Arabia, and history suggests the outcome rarely fades quietly into the background. Recent winners of the Supercopa — Madrid in 2022 and 2024, Barca in 2023 and 2025 — have all gone on to lift the LaLiga title, underlining how momentum gained here can shape an entire campaign.

Barcelona booked their place in the final in emphatic fashion, dismantling Athletic Club 5-0 in midweek. Real Madrid followed a day later, edging past Atletico Madrid 2-1 in a tense semifinal. While Barca’s route was dominant, Madrid’s was far less convincing — a theme that has followed them for much of the season.

Mighty Barca crush Bilbao in Jeddah

Valverde's early missile sets the stage for El Clasico in the Super Cup final

Last year, Barcelona completely had the upper hand in this rivalry, winning all four Clasicos on their way to a domestic treble under Hansi Flick. That balance briefly shifted in October when Xabi Alonso claimed his first Clasico victory as Madrid boss, a 2-1 league win that opened up a five-point cushion at the top of LaLiga. Since then, however, the momentum has swung sharply back in Barca’s favor.

Barcelona now arrive in Jeddah on a nine-match winning streak across all competitions and hold a four-point lead in the league. Flick has admitted performances haven’t always been flawless — he was notably unimpressed after a 2-0 win over Espanyol — but the demolition of Athletic was a reminder of just how devastating this side can be when it all clicks.

That surge in form has coincided with the return of key figures: Raphinha has injected pace and aggression into the attack, Pedri has reasserted control in midfield, and goalkeeper Joan Garcia has produced a series of decisive saves. With only long-term absentees Gavi and Andreas Christensen ruled out, Barca head into the final with a rare sense of squad stability.

For Real Madrid, the stakes are equally clear. Alonso knows that trophies define success at the Bernabeu, and this is the first one available. “It’s the competition we’re playing right now, so it’s the most important,” he said ahead of the semifinals. “Over the season it may rank fourth, but at this moment it’s the priority.”

Alonso’s position was under serious threat after a home defeat to Celta Vigo in early December, followed by a loss to Manchester City. Five consecutive wins have since steadied the ship, but doubts remain. Even in comfortable scorelines — including a 5-1 win over Real Betis and the Super Cup semifinal against Atlético — Madrid have often looked vulnerable and inconsistent.

The Supercopa final carries echoes of last season, when Madrid’s heavy 5-2 defeat to Barcelona marked a turning point that eventually led to Carlo Ancelotti’s exit. That night, Barca tore Madrid apart with a devastating burst of goals, exposing structural flaws that proved impossible to ignore.

There was, however, a notable boost for Madrid late in the week. Alonso confirmed that Kylian Mbappe has travelled with the squad after recovering from a left knee sprain that sidelined him for the first two games of 2026. While his fitness level remains uncertain, the French star is available — and his presence alone alters the complexion of the final.

Barcelona, meanwhile, now enjoy a luxury Flick has rarely had this season: genuine depth. With multiple attackers in form, the German coach can turn to game-changers from the bench if needed. Fermin Lopez, Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski all played decisive roles as substitutes against Espanyol, while options such as Marcus Rashford and Lamine Yamal — who missed the semifinal due to illness — offer further firepower. Yamal is expected to return to the starting lineup against Madrid.

Away from the pitch, tensions remain high. Barcelona president Joan Laporta acknowledged ahead of the final that institutional relations with Real Madrid are currently “very bad” and effectively broken. While stressing that mutual respect remains, Laporta admitted that a series of unresolved issues have driven the clubs further apart. “In football, everything can be resolved,” he said, “but it depends on the parties involved.”

On Sunday night in Jeddah, however, resolution will come in a far more familiar way — through 90 minutes that could once again set the tone for the rest of the Spanish season.

SPANISH SUPER CUP - FINAL

Sunday

22.00: (2.00) Barcelona (4.00) Real Madrid (3.60)

***odds are subject to change***