Football fans are set for a blockbuster showdown on Thursday evening as city rivals Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid face off in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final, hosted at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Atletico are aiming to lift the trophy for the Third time in their history, while Real Madrid are chasing a record-extending 14th Spanish Super Cup title, adding further weight to an already intense derby.
Atletico Madrid Seeking Redemption Through Titles
Atletico Madrid arrive in Jeddah unbeaten in five competitive matches, but their most recent 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad left a sense of frustration, with Alexander Sorloth’s opener cancelled out shortly after.
Atletico qualified for the tournament after finishing third last season and will look to draw inspiration from their emphatic 5-2 derby win over Real Madrid in September, when Julian Alvarez struck twice in a statement victory at the Metropolitano.
Real Madrid Growing in Confidence Under Xabi Alonso
Real Madrid head into the semi-final with renewed momentum, having recorded four consecutive victories in all competitions. Their most recent outing saw them dismantle Real Betis 5-1, despite the absence of injured star Kylian Mbappe.
Young striker Gonzalo Garcia seized his opportunity, scoring a perfect hat-trick to become the youngest player this century to achieve the feat in La Liga. The result eased pressure on head coach Xabi Alonso, who is targeting his first trophy since succeeding Carlo Ancelotti last summer.
Recent History Offers No Guarantees
While Real Madrid boast a strong Super Cup pedigree, their recent derby record against Atletico is less convincing. They have beaten Simeone’s side in regulation time just once in their last seven meetings and have not kept a clean sheet in this fixture since December 2021.
Atletico, meanwhile, have struggled in recent Super Cup semi-finals, losing at this stage to Athletic Club and Real Madrid in 2022 and 2024 respectively, underlining the scale of the challenge ahead.
Atletico Madrid Expected XI (4-4-2):
Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Le Normand, Hancko; Simeone, Gallagher, Koke, Baena; Sorloth, Alvarez
Real Madrid Expected XI (4-2-3-1):
Courtois; Valverde, Huijsen, Rudiger, Carreras; Camavinga, Tchouameni; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Garcia
