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11 months ago
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The Spanish Super Cup was often perceived as a fleeting appetiser for the main course which is La Liga. However, in recent years, the Super Cup has generated a lot of traction, perhaps in light of the welcome mid-season trips to Saudi Arabia.
The Super Cup will be in focus tonight as Barcelona take on Real Madrid, in what will be a repeat of last year’s final.
With both teams in scintillating form, three crucial questions hang heavy in the desert air of Riyadh:
Can the Barcelona backline contain Real Madrid?
Once an impenetrable wall, Ronald Araujo has started to show cracks, in the midst of speculation going on around his future at Barcelona.
His defensive partner Jules Kounde, though brilliant at times, has lacked consistency and is still settling into life at Barcelona. With Joao Cancelo unavailable, the Frenchman has to operate in the right-back position.
That leaves Andreas Christensen as the main central defensive partner for Araujo. After reaching the highs of last season, the Dane has endured a difficult campaign so far and is far from his best.
This tattering Barcelona defence will come up against a Real Madrid side, who have always managed to score, one way or another, this season, while Jude Bellingham’s arrival has injected a thrilling dynamism into the team.
Bellingham’s marauding runs exposed Barça’s vulnerabilities in the last game, and Xavi must find a way to contain the Englishman, along with the rest of the Real Madrid frontline if Barcelona are to have any chance of securing a victory tonight.
Does the new-look midfield trio work?
Midfield has not been Barcelona’s strongest suit this season. While Ilkay Gundogan’s arrival has added punch to the eleven, constant injury woes of Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong have not helped while new signing Oriol Romeu has struggled.
However, the return of Pedri does bring a flicker of hope for the Catalan faithful. In fact, the young midfielder is set to partner de Jong and Gundogan, in what could be viewed as Barcelona’s strongest possible midfield unit this season.
Earlier in the season, de Jong, Pedri and Gundogan worked in tandem to help Barcelona secure a crucial victory over Atletico Madrid.
Whether or not this revered combination works against Real Madrid’s balanced midfield unit this evening remains to be seen.
Four midfielders of three forwards?
Ferran Torres, Joao Felix, and Raphinha, Barcelona’s attacking triumvirate, possess enough firepower to melt glaciers. But against a defensively astute Real Madrid, Xavi faces a tactical conundrum.
Does he start with four midfielders in order to shore up the midfield? Sergi Roberto is a viable option, having performed brilliantly since the turn of the year.
Should Xavi shift to a four-man midfield setup, there’s every chance Roberto could be preferred ahead of Fermin Lopez. The veteran midfielder has the ability to operate on the flanks while his experience could be vital against Real Madrid.
At the same time, Barcelona would require more firepower upfront and that is where someone like Joao Felix or Fermin could prove to be useful.
The decision is up to Xavi, and only time will tell how Barcelona approach this final.
