Spanish Super Cup: Spain’s Big Hitters Head to Saudi

Barcelona vs Real Madrid

It’s off Saudi Arabia for the second El Clasico of the season.

A welcome distraction for four of Spain’s finest or a contest they could do without (certainly without the need to travel)?

Yet the Spanish Super Cup has produced some wonderfully entertaining moments in recent seasons and there’s no reason why this clash in the King Fahd International Stadium should be any different.

Talking Points

Ahead of this semi-final – holders Athletic Bilbao and league champions Atletico Madrid meet in the other – Barcelona are trying to create a scenario where two players can be given a shock start.

The Blaugrana are looking to move on swiftly from Saturday night’s disappointing draw with Granada and, amid their poor season so far, have the chance to make a statement against their fierce rivals, whom they trail by a massive 17 points in La Liga.

It’s claimed club chief Mateu Alemany has promised manager Xavi Hernandez that if new signing Ferran Torres tests negative for coronavirus in time, the club will seal another key exit in order to register the new signing.

Barca have already sent Philippe Coutinho out on loan, but that isn’t enough to register Torres, who recently joined from Manchester City.

By their standards, the Catalans have had a woeful season so far, and that was further encapsulated when they suffered another injury blow in the Granada game when defender Eric Garcia limped off in the 54th minute.

The club has since confirmed that Garcia suffered a thigh injury to add to the hand injury suffered by Ronald Araujo that required surgery this week.

Meanwhile, Frenkie de Jong has been ruled out for a couple of weeks with a muscular issue.

Barca’s season so far has been marred by injury issues, and that has even seen them change the entire medical department following the appointment of Xavi.

At the heart of their defence, Clement Lenglet and Gerard Pique can still be called upon, while Oscar Mingueza can also fill in.

Pique has warned Real that they will face a different Barcelona side to the one they defeated in La Liga earlier in the season, but it’s not exactly the news they want against a Real Madrid side which was impressive in a 4-1 success over Valencia on Saturday night.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side have a good lead at the top of La Liga and this fixture has all the hallmark for some Spanish Super Cup 2022 highlights.

Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr took all the plaudits for their performances at the weekend, and their overall team has a distinctive edge so there is no doubt they start as clear favourites.

If this is to be the final Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia – Spanish football’s governing body reportedly earned a whopping €120 million from the three-year deal which began in 2020 – then let’s hope it produces the goods once again.

History

In La Liga, Real Madrid have won 74 clashes, three more than Barcelona, with a further 34 encounters ending all square.

Overall, in all competitions, Real have 98 wins, Barca 96 and there have been 52 draws.

Last season, in a key match in the race for the title, Benzema was simply sumptuous in a 2-1 Real success.

Goals from David Alaba and Lucas Vazquez secured victory in the Nou Camp in October by the same scoreline.

Real have won their last four meetings with Barca’s last success in El Clasico coming through an Ivan Rakitic goal in March 2019.

The last time they met in this competition was in the 2017 final, played over two legs, when Real ran out emphatic winners.

The first leg saw Real win 3-1 with late goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Marco Asensio sealing the victory after an own goal and a Lionel Messi penalty.

That was at the Nou Camp before Asensio and Benzema scored two first-half goals each in the return to seal a 5-1 aggregate success.

Betting Tip

	Barcelona vs Real Madrid	Half Time Full Time Draw Home @ 4.60
	January 13, 3:00 (GMT+8)

As you would expect, the SBOTOP Spanish Super Cup 2022 betting odds are clearly one-sided.

Real Madrid can be backed 1X2 @ 1.94 or Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.31, with Barca adrift 1X2 @ 3.60 and Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.17.

The 1X2 Draw @ 3.50 and Total Goal 2-3 @ 1.95 may catch your eye, and a repeat of the 2-1 Real league victory from October is on offer @ 7.20 with Correct Score.

I can see another Real win but only after a stronger Barca showing, hence my three-star prediction of Half Time Full Time Draw Home.

 

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