Attention is directed this evening, at 10:00 pm, to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and specifically the King Fahd International Stadium, to follow the El Clasico of the Earth, which will bring together the poles of Spanish football, Real Madrid and Barcelona, in a major summit in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, within the activities of the Diriyah season, which is hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. .
Real Madrid seeks to equal Barcelona’s record in the number of times winning the Spanish Super Cup, as well as winning its first title in 2023. After its victory over Valencia in the semi-finals with penalty kicks, it will face the Barcelona team that defeated Real Betis in the semi-finals also with penalty kicks, which is trying to improve The image shown by Xavi Hernandez’s comrades, after the modest levels in the team’s recent matches.
Young talent
Coaches Carlo Ancelotti and Xavi Hernandez are counting on many young talents who are expected to make their mark in El Clasico, most notably from Real Madrid: Brazilian Vinicius Junior and Valverde, and from Barcelona: Javi and Pedri.
This will be the eighth meeting between Real Madrid and Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. Real won the title against Barcelona 6 times (1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2012, 2017). While Barca won once (2012).
The last time the two teams met in this competition was last year, in the semi-finals, which ended 3-2 in favor of Real Madrid.
On the one hand, the Spanish Football Federation announced yesterday the refereeing staff that will manage the Super Cup final match between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Spanish referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengochea will manage the match, assisted by Roberto Diaz Perez, John Nunez Fernandez, and fourth official Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz.
And Jose Luis Gonzalez will be in the VAR room, assisted by Santiago Jaime and Juan Luis Pulido.
The rule of the arena raises Real
A state of anxiety prevailed within Real Madrid, after de Burgos Bengochea was appointed referee for the Super Cup final against Barcelona.
The newspaper “Mundo Deportivo” reviewed the reasons that prompted Real to worry, and the controversial decisions that were taken against the team on previous occasions.
This comes after Bengochea dismissed Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, in the Super Cup final against Barcelona, at the Camp Nou, because of an attempt to act to obtain a penalty kick, which was the incident that witnessed the former Real player pushing Bengocia.
There is also a suspicious penalty kick that was awarded to Barcelona, in the position of the duo Keylor Navas and Luis Suarez, in addition to another goal that was not awarded to Ronaldo due to offside.
Real Madrid’s official channel also reviewed clips from the 2019/2020 season’s Clasico, when Bengochea was found as an assistant video referee, and did not tell the arena referee that two penalty kicks had been awarded in favor of Frenchman Raphael Varane, amid protests from the white team, who also objected to another goal that was not counted.
The last 5 matches between the two teams
- Real Madrid won 3 times
- Barcelona win 2
- tie 0
Both teams scored in the tournament
- Barcelona 13 titles
- Real Madrid 12 titles