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Barcelona and Real Madrid will play for the Spanish Super Cup this Sunday, at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Both teams are not only the most popular and most followed teams in Spanish football, and they also have the most titles in this tournament. Carlo Ancelotti and Xavi posed for photos with the Spanish Super Cup out on the pitch at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). The two coaches were photographed wearing their Real Madrid and Barcelona jerseys at an event held at the venue for tomorrow's final (Sunday, 8:00pm CET).
Barcelona are the most prolific Spanish Super Cup winner with 13 titles, closely followed by Real Madrid with 12. That record means that the team from the capital will be looking to catch up with the Blaugranas on Sunday and draw level on 13 trophies each. The dominance of these two teams stands out from the rest of the Spanish teams, as the teams that come closest to them are Deportivo La Coruna and Athletic Club, with just three Super Cup titles each. The tournament was first played in 1982, and won in that year by Real Sociedad with a 4-0 win over Real Madrid.
Real Madrid and Barcelona's total domination of the Spanish Super Cup:
Barcelona's 13 titles were won in 1983, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1996, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2018.
Real Madrid, defending champions of the Super Cup this year, have won in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2001, 2003, 2003, 2008, 2012, 2017, 2020 and 2022.
Ancelotti’s words
Carlo Ancelotti appeared in the media room at the King Fahd Stadium in the build-up to the final clash with Barcelona. The coach explained: “Every trophy is important at this club. They breed confidence, they help you keep going on the right track and foster a good atmosphere. There's a lot to play for in this match and we'll do all we can to win it. We can weigh up how we're feeling about it, which is that every title is important. We fight for these moments, to be playing in finals. The team is motivated and feels comfortable. I've got players who are used to this kind of pressure, so we're feeling confident".
Competing: “We're not thinking about winning every title. We're simply focused on competing in every competition and in every game. Now we have to think about this match and this title that we're playing for. We shouldn't get carried away with more difficult things. We have to take it one step at a time and head into the closing stretch of the season in a good position".
Hunger for trophies: “We're talking about players didn't just win things last year, they starting doing so back in 2013. This squad have an incredible mentality and they're not done yet. This is a demanding place to be and it doesn't allow you to be content with what you have".
State of the pitch: “I was pleased with the condition of the pitch. It's a difficult issue, the best pitch is ours at home. It might be a little hard here, but you can still play good football on it".
Key elements: “I'm not sure intensity is the best way to beat Barcelona. We have to deliver a complete display both in attack and defence, both with pressing and on the counter. The key to beating Barcelona is not intensity, but producing a complete performance".
Benzema: “Benzema is back. That fills us with confidence heading into the second half of the season. He looks motivated and is training well. He's a key player for us. The squad has done well to fill his boots early in the season but he'll be hugely important going forward".
Fitness levels: “We're always concerned when we have injuries. We just have the two guys we've left in Madrid and Lucas Vázquez. Militão and Camavinga have recovered well and will train no problem at all. It's tough to recover from extra-time but we'll be fine in time for the game”.
Calendar: “It's a tough schedule but we don't need more players. We have great forwards. I saw Cristiano yesterday, he's happy, motivated and he likes the country. He seemed well and he made the right choice”.
Managing defeats: “The downside of being a coach is that as soon as you lose, you're in the spotlight. Xavi is well aware of that”.
Defence: “The main thing is just to defend better, we have to improve at the back. The block looked better against Valencia. We made a positional error for their goal because the diagonal caught out our centre backs. It's something we've seen, discussed and assessed. I hope it won't happen again. The diagonal between the two centre backs is a lifesaver and we forget that sometimes".
Xavi’s response
Xavi Hernandez was in good form ahead of the season's second Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid, with this one having silverware on the line in the Supercopa de Espana final. Barcelona lost the season's first Clasico 3-1 in October at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, but the former midfielder is confident that the Catalans will be able to stop Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti's incredible success in finals.
Having fallen to defeat against Los Blancos already this season, the Blaugana boss knows better than anybody how much of a threat the Spanish and European champions pose.: "We need to know where we are as a group, and you telling me that Ancelotti hasn't lost a final since 2010 only motivates me more. I see Real Madrid in the same way that I always have - they're strong everywhere. They're well organised tactically, and strong”, Xavi said.
"They have players who can make a difference and are a really strong opponent. They're the domestic and European champions. Real Madrid are Real Madrid and they have an extra level in finals. We are very motivated and have that little bit extra because it's Real Madrid. Everything would change with a trophy in the cabinet, but Real Madrid are dangerous even if they don't play well”.
Asked about the youthfulness of his side, the coach suggested that it should mean there is extra hunger to win a trophy, and he was then questioned about Real Madrid having one day's more rest ahead of the final: "Yeah, it could have been done more fairly, but it's not an excuse for us," Xavi said. "Everybody is available, and even if you're not 100 percent it's a final and you make yourself available.
He continued: "You play football to play in finals against Real Madrid. It is a huge opportunity to win a trophy. Winning is a non-negotiable at Barcelona. We live for that. Our goals are trophies. We are so close to winning one and we have to go after it. We want to win it for us, not because of who the opposition are”.
The coach was then quizzed about the earlier defeat to Los Blancos in LaLiga Santander, and was confident that lessons were learned: "It's a different game to that. We'll try to control the transitions moe and to disarm them in defence. They're a strong side, but our approach won't differ much from October”, Xavi insisted.
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