They will have had to wait three years to afford the dream Clasico.
Never since the establishment of the new formula of the Spanish Supercup and its relocation to Saudi Arabia, Madrid and Catalans had faced each other in the final to seize the trophy.
The duel promises to be hot, this Sunday, January 16, between Real d'Ancelotti, defending champion, determined to keep it, and Barça de Xavi, eager to validate his return to full light by winning the club's first title. since 2021 (King's Cup).
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The struggle between the two clubs in La Liga (FC Barcelona, 1st, 41 points; Real Madrid, 2nd, 38 pts), Barça's unbeaten streak, which has not lost for 7 games (best streak since April 2022 ), and the lot of duels whose Riyadh stadium will be the theater add salt to a Clasico, which had lost its fever for a while.
On the bench, in the cages, at the forefront of the attack… duels galore
In addition to the tactical games carried by Ancelotti and Xavi, the Catalan daily Sport rightly underlines this Saturday "This superfinal for superguards".
The Belgian Thibaut Courtois and the German Marc-André ter Stegen, essential parts of these two collectives and two of the best goalkeepers in the world, were still decisive in the semi-finals, in particular to emerge victorious from the penalty shootouts.
Real disposed of Valencia (1-1, 4-2 on pens) after a very tight encounter, while Barça qualified for the final by beating Nabil Fékir's Bétis Sevilla (2-2, 4-2 to the tabs)
The poster also promises a great battle from a distance between the Golden Shoe, Robert Lewandowski and the Ballon d'Or, Karim Benzema.
The French international will have to be watched closely.
Thanks to his penalty converted in half, he became the second player after Lionel Messi to score in five consecutive games in this competition.
5 - @Benzema is the second player to score in five consecutive games in Spanish Supercopa history (five goals) after Lionel Messi between 2010 and 2012 (eight goals in five games in a row).
Magician.
🧙♂️ pic.twitter.com/cfxAcl32uQ
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 11, 2023
His teammates will, in addition to Lewandowski, keep an eye on Ansu Fati, author of such a decisive entry against Bétis, that Xavi regretted not having made him "return earlier".
"Maybe it was my fault today because I should have put Ansu Fati on the pitch earlier.
He is much better since he came back from the World Cup (…) His defensive attitude has improved a lot.
He made the difference, he scored a goal, his penalty, ”he explained Thursday after the meeting.
Potentially historic coronation for Real
If the numbers give the advantage to Real Madrid of Ancelotti, who since his return to the Madrid bench has participated in four finals out of five possible and has not lost since 2010, the dynamics of the teams leads to believe that Barça de Xavi, who stole first place in La Liga from the Merengues before the World Cup in Qatar, is in a position to glean his first title in almost two years.
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Beaten (3-1) during the 9th day of the Championship during the first confrontation of the season between the two teams, the Catalans have if necessary to add an affront to wash.
Above all, they have a status to preserve.
In the event of a coronation, Real Madrid would equal FC Barcelona's 13 Spanish Supercups and would offer themselves, according to their count, a 100th trophy.
One more historic breath on the embers of a certainly burning Clasico.