Real Madrid booked their place in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday against Barcelona by seeing off Atlético Madrid 2-1 in Jeddah on Thursday night courtesy of a rasping free-kick from Fede Valverde
in only the second minute and a second-half counter-attacking goal from Rodrygo Goes. Alexander Sørloth pulled one back for the Rojiblancos shortly after, but Real Madrid were able to see out the result and secure a victory in the semi-final.
Three answers
1. Would there be an improvement from the September Madrid derby?
Everything was going well for Xabi Alonso before his first Madrid derby as the team’s coach, but that 5-2 defeat has left a hangover which has continued to this very day with his job still on the line in Jeddah. A repeat would certainly make his job security a real concern. The coach spoke of needing to play “at a higher level” than in that game. Little about this 90 minutes could be described as “high-level” by either team, but Real Madrid showed an ability to take their chances and to grind out a result. Atlético could argue to have had the better chances, with 2.02 xG compared to Real Madrid’s 1.14, and to have controlled more of the game, even beyond Atlético’s 54% possession. That will concern some Madridistas, but this was primarily about drawing out a result against the odds. This performance was not dissimilar to many this season, in struggling to get a grip on the game or take control, but it did see the team grind it out by the skin of their teeth. That kind of fight has been missing.
2. Could Gonzalo García keep up his form from the win over Betis?
It was always going to be hard to match the perfect hat-trick scored on Sunday, but Kylian Mbappé’s absence due to his knee ligament problem meant that Gonzalo García would be given another rare opportunity to start as the team’s centre forward. The forward was perhaps fortunate to avoid punishment for a late challenge on Marc Pubill, but endured an evening with little service in a game dominated by the midfield battle. A single touch in the Atlético box and no shots reflected a game in which Gonzalo played the role more of a target man looking to hold the ball up than by providing any real contribution to the attack or to the team’s system. Whereas against Betis he showed what he could add and contribute, here he looked like a stop-gap. This was a game against a strong side, and a game where Real Madrid were largely on the back foot, but it’s in this kind of game where that gap in quality stands out.
3. How would the injury-hit defence hold up?
Reports emerged on Thursday afternoon that defender Antonio Rüdiger was set to play through the pain of a knee injury to be able to start, more than anything because there was no alternative. Dean Huijsen travelled to Saudi Arabia but has not yet regained full fitness from his muscle strain, while Dani Carvajal has also returned to availability but has not played in almost two months. That meant that Rüdiger was forced to push through and start alongside Raúl Asencio for what was bound to be a physical battle. He lasted 69 minutes, working tirelessly in a tough duel with Alexander Sørloth, but could barely walk by the time he hobbled off. The result was that Ferland Mendy came in, with Aurélien Tchouameni dropping into the backline and Fran García eventually operating further forward on the left flank after Vinícius Júnior went off. It was a solution, but it’s hard to imagine that it was a solution that Xabi Alonso will want to repeat against Barcelona on Sunday.
Three questions
1. Was this a sign of improvement?
The real question here was whether this was an improvement on what happened the last time the two teams met. The result alone shows that it was, but the performance itself may have left question marks. Early on, the press worked well, but was short-lived, and the team seemed to lose the battle on occasions. Atlético found it too easy to get down the flanks and to use Alexander Sørloth as a target in the middle. That same approach as the one used in September generated chances for the Colchoneros, but, unlike in September, they failed to take them. The result was positive, but Xabi Alonso will not be an entirely satisfied man with what he saw from his players.
2. Can 2026 be the year of Rodrygo?
Few players suffered a more disappointing 2025 than Rodrygo Goes, who went from March to December without scoring. Yet, the last month has seen a sudden revival from the Brazilian, scoring here with a superb counter-attacking run and finish, to make it three goals and three assists in his last five starts for Real Madrid. While Vinícius continues to be on the receiving end of a poor reception from his own fans, and with Mbappé sidelined by injury, this is one of his best chances yet to stand out, and he’s taking it with both hands. He has often been a man for the big occasion and that proved to be the case once again here, leading the stats for dribbles and being one of few players to take the game by the scruff of the neck and attacking.
3. Will Real Madrid win the Spanish Super Cup?
The final will, once again, be a Clásico. Last year, Barcelona were the worthy victors in a game that ended the Carlo Ancelotti era, and another win for Hansi Flick could deal a big blow to his successor. Real Madrid were the convincing winners in the only Clásico to date this season, but it was also a turning point as Vinícius Júnior’s protests against his substitution sparked controversy. Now, Real Madrid must face their arch rivals, possibly without Kylian Mbappé and with a major shortage in defence. That makes the Catalans the major favourites to lift the trophy in Jeddah on Sunday.
