Spanish Super Cup Final: Trophy and spectacle on the menu as Barca faces Madrid in second El Clasico final

Super Cup’s second El Clasico final in a row will see the La Liga giants face off on foreign soil for the third time in a year, after Barcelona won last January’s final 3-1.

Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona and Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid will be key when the two teams face each other in the Spanish Super Cup final. | Photo Credit: REUTERS/ AFP

The Real Madrid and Barcelona managers see the Spanish Super Cup final as an occasion that stands out both for the trophy on the line and the sporting spectacle it creates, as they prepare for Sunday’s match to be played in Riyadh for the second year.

Super Cup’s second El Clasico final in a row will see the La Liga giants face off on foreign soil for the third time in a year, after Barcelona won last January’s final 3-1, also in Riyadh, and beat Madrid 3-0 in a friendly in the United States in July.

“It’s always exciting to prepare for this type of match... it’s going to be a great spectacle,” Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti told reporters on Saturday.

Though Madrid has had the upper hand in the rivalry this season, beating Barca 2-1 in October and building a seven-point lead at the top of the league, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez said no one had an advantage going into the final.

“I have the feeling that Madrid is stronger when Barca is stronger. Since I’ve been on the (Barcelona) bench, to win a title we’ve had to go above Madrid. It’s all very even,” he said.

While Xavi drew inspiration from last year’s final, Ancelotti played down its relevance.

“Real Madrid don’t go out for revenge, they go out to the limit because that’s the requirement of this shirt and this club,” he said.

“We’re one step away from the first trophy of the season. We’re going to try to do what we have to do, which is to try to win the final.”