Real Madrid and Barcelona Ignite ‘The Jewel of Jeddah’ with El Clásico

Real Madrid and Barcelona Ignite "The Jewel of Jeddah" in the Clasico

In the latest breaking news from Nice Kora, we bring you local and international updates, particularly in sports and football, with insights from Yalla Kora and Yalla Shoot.

Today, Sunday, the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, also known as "The Jewel of Jeddah," hosts the highly anticipated Clasico showdown between Barcelona and Real Madrid in the final of the Spanish Super Cup. This match carries the scent of revenge following Barcelona’s convincing 4-0 victory in their last meeting in the La Liga at the end of last year.

This marks the fifth time Saudi Arabia has hosted the Spanish Super Cup, and it’s the third consecutive final that features a Clasico matchup, with both teams having exchanged victories in 2023 and 2024.

Since the tournament began in 2020, with four participating teams, either Barcelona or Real Madrid has won the title in the last three editions, and it’s noteworthy that the team claiming this title also goes on to win the La Liga at the end of the season.

While the teams may have changed since their last encounter in October, Barcelona is eager to replicate their previous success.

Under the guidance of coach Hansi Flick, Barcelona has proven to be serious contenders for the La Liga title, especially after their previous impressive 4-0 win.

Yamal is one of the key Catalan players in the match (Photo by: Ali Khamej)

Recently, some flaws were evident in the Real Madrid squad, led by Carlo Ancelotti, but they have since been addressed, and Real now leads La Liga by five points over third-placed Barcelona.

This match will mark the 259th official encounter between the two teams, with Barcelona winning 101 times, Real Madrid winning 105 times, and 52 matches ending in a draw, highlighting the intense rivalry between them.

The goal stats also reflect this rivalry: Barcelona has scored 423 goals against Real, while Real has found the net 433 times against Barcelona.

This Clasico will be the 18th clash between the two in the Spanish Super Cup, where Real holds the advantage with 10 wins against 5 losses, along with 2 draws.

Barcelona is the most successful team in the history of the Super Cup, having won it 14 times. However, Real Madrid could equal this record with a win today, having previously secured the title 13 times.

Both teams reached the final after winning their respective semi-final matches, with Barcelona defeating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 and Real Madrid overcoming Real Mallorca 3-0.

Real aims to secure its third title of the season, following victories in the UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup earlier this year.

The Jewel of Jeddah Stadium where today’s Clasico will take place (Reuters)

Although Real Madrid has not always been at its best in the first half of the season, there have been signs of improvement in recent weeks, which could signal trouble for their local and European rivals.

Real enters the match on a high note, having secured five consecutive wins, including their first three matches of the year against Valencia (a postponed league match), Deportivo Minera (in the cup), and Mallorca (in the Super Cup).

Conversely, Barcelona seemed to be pulling away with the La Liga lead and coming close to clinching the title this season but has stumbled recently, managing only one win in their last seven league matches, resulting in a drop to third place.

Barcelona, under Flick, ended 2024 with losses to Leganés and Atlético Madrid, but at the start of this year, they bounced back, winning both their matches—securing a decisive 4-0 victory against Barbastro in the Copa del Rey and a 2-0 win over Bilbao in the Super Cup semi-finals.

Barcelona aims to continue its recent winning streak by defeating Real Madrid to claim their fifteenth title in this competition.

We previously discussed Real Madrid and Barcelona igniting "The Jewel of Jeddah" in this epic Clasico—stay updated with all related news on our Nice Kora website.