El Clásico Showdown: Barcelona and Real Madrid Battle for Spanish Super Cup Glory
The most anticipated rivalry match in global football takes place on Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as Barcelona and Real Madrid clash for the Spanish Super Cup.
These eternal rivals have already faced each other this season in an intense encounter that resulted in a 2–1 triumph for Real Madrid, ending Barcelona's streak of four straight Clásico wins. One of the most dominant performances during that period occurred in the 2024–25 Spanish Super Cup final, when the Catalan side crushed Los Blancos 5–2 to secure their record 15th championship in this tournament.
Hansi Flick's squad aims to retain their Spanish Super Cup title one year on, and began their quest with an impressive performance. Barcelona delivered a commanding 5–0 demolition of Athletic Club on Thursday to secure their place in the final.
Real Madrid matched this achievement the following day with a 2–1 triumph over Atlético Madrid, establishing the fourth straight Spanish Super Cup final between these two Spanish giants. The victor will not only depart Jeddah with the trophy, but also earn supremacy in the opening Clásico of 2026.
Here is Sports Illustrated's comprehensive preview of the match.
What Time Does Barcelona vs. Real Madrid Kick Off?
Barcelona vs. Real Madrid Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions)
Barcelona | Real Madrid |
|---|---|
Barcelona 5–0 Athletic Club - 1/7/26 | Atlético Madrid 1–2 Real Madrid - 1/8/26 |
Espanyol 0–2 Barcelona - 1/3/26 | Real Madrid 5–1 Real Betis - 1/4/26 |
Villarreal 0–2 Barcelona - 12/21/25 | Real Madrid 2–0 Sevilla - 12/20/25 |
Guadalajara 0–2 Barcelona - 12/16/25 | Talavera 2–3 Real Madrid - 12/17/25 |
Barcelona 2–0 Osasuna - 12/13/25 | Alavés 1–2 Real Madrid - 12/14/25 |
How to Watch Barcelona vs. Real Madrid on TV, Live Stream
Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
United States | ABC, ABC App, ESPN Select, ESPN App, ESPN Deportes, fuboTV |
United Kingdom | TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 4 |
Canada | Not Televised |
Mexico | Sky Sports Mexico, Sky+ |
Barcelona Team News
What was previously a crowded treatment room is now appearing significantly emptier for Barcelona. Only Gavi, Marc-André ter Stegen and Andreas Christensen remain unavailable due to injuries.
Lamine Yamal was a fitness doubt for the club's semifinal encounter with Athletic Club, and Flick chose caution, restricting the teenage sensation to merely 18 minutes as a substitute. With silverware at stake, however, the Spain international has been declared fit enough to feature in the starting eleven on the right flank.
Apart from this, the German manager will be inclined to field an unchanged team from Wednesday's demolition. Ferran Torres and Fermín López will probably maintain their positions in the starting XI after contributing four goal involvements in their previous outing, keeping Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo on the sidelines.
Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Real Madrid
Barcelona predicted lineup vs. Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): García; Kounde, Cubarsí, Garcí, Balde; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Fermín, Raphinha; Torres.
Real Madrid Team News
Despite not featuring for a single minute in 2026, Kylian Mbappé continues to dominate the headlines leading up to the Spanish Super Cup final. The French striker initially remained behind due to a knee problem, but encouraging progress saw the club's top scorer reunite with his teammates on Friday.
Such an unexpected journey from Mbappé suggests the attacker could start up front, even if he isn't at complete fitness. Should he only be available from the bench, however, Gonzalo García will certainly earn his third straight start in his absence.
Real Madrid are also concerned about the fitness of Rodrygo, Antonio Rüdiger and Raúl Asencio. All three players were substituted during the match against Atlético Madrid, and will undergo final fitness assessments for Sunday's final.
Beyond this, only Éder Militão remains in the medical bay for Los Blancos. Brahim Díaz is also missing; the attacker continues with Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Barcelona
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Tchouaméni, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius Junior; Mbappé.
Barcelona vs. Real Madrid Score Prediction
Sixteen goals were netted during the previous three Clásico Spanish Super Cup finals. Regardless of how tightly Barcelona and Real Madrid compete in La Liga, their encounters in cup competitions consistently produce goal-heavy spectacles.
Sunday's match will probably follow this pattern given the attacking quality present in both squads. Yamal, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and potentially Mbappé all featuring simultaneously promises thrilling action and numerous goals.
The decisive factor in the final result will be defensive solidity, and the injury concerns affecting Real Madrid's defensive line place them at a considerable disadvantage. Barcelona, conversely, have allowed just one goal in their previous six fixtures.
It won't be flawless defensively from Flick's team by any stretch, but they might just do sufficient to secure victory and capture consecutive Spanish Super Cups.