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Real Madrid booked a place in the Copa del Rey final against FC Barcelona on Sunday by beating Real Mallorca in the semi-final in Jeddah on Thursday night. A 3-0 win was not as simple as it might seem from the scoreline, with Jude Bellingham finally getting the ball across the line just after the hour before two injured goals with a Martin Valjent own goal and a goal from Rodrygo to finish off.
Three answers
1. Would Vinícius’ availability be differential?
Following his red card against Valencia on Friday night, there has been some controversy over the decision to allow Vini’s suspension to be served in the league matches against Las Palmas and Valladolid rather than the two Super Cup matches. That meant that his presence on the field had an advantage, as could be seen by Pablo Maffeo’s behavior in trying to hit him again and again. In the end, Vinícius would not be the standout star to grab the headlines, as he failed to score and only took one shot that went wide. The Brazilian seemed lively and involved, but perhaps distracted by the antics of his enemies in Mallorca, who are no strangers to provoking him.
2. Could Mallorca turn out to be a more complicated client than expected?
The Madridistas are already used to suffering against Mallorca, since the Balearic Islands are not easy prey and they have shown it: in the last four games neither team has scored more than one goal scored by either team, with two victories for Real Madrid. , draw and victory for Mallorca. The sparks at the end, with Pablo Maffeo and Raúl Asencio colliding and causing an altercation with players from both sides and the bench, reflected a tension that had been maintained throughout the 90 minutes and which resulted in a total of 26 fouls, 12 of them from Real. Madrid and 14 of Mallorca. This match was very heated, both because it was still 24°C/76°F when the final whistle blew around midnight in Saudi Arabia, and on the pitch where the feisty players did not hold back and Mallorca’s frustrations eventually boiled over.
3. Could Real Madrid reach another Super Cup final with the semi-final format?
Four of the five times that Real Madrid has participated in the Spanish Super Cup since the semi-final and final four format was introduced in 2020, they have qualified for the final. The only semi-final defeat came in 2021, when the tournament was held in Spain due to Covid-19 restrictions, and Real Madrid faced Athletic Club in Malaga and lost 2-1 in the semi-finals. . Every time it has been held outside of Spain, Los Blancos have reached at least the final, winning three times, against Atlético de Madrid in 2020, Athletic Club in 2022 and Barcelona in 2024, and losing once to Barcelona in 2023.
three questions
1. When is the final of the Spanish Super Cup?
The final of the Spanish Super Cup will be played with a Clásico between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, again at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah, for the 42nd title in the history of the competition. The match will take place on Sunday, January 12 at 10:00 p.m. local time, equivalent to 8:00 p.m. Spanish time and 2:00 p.m. Eastern time. The match will be the ninth Clásico, after Real Madrid won seven and lost two, in 2011/12 and 2022/23. If Los Blancos win, it will be the fourteenth time they have won the trophy for the club’s trophy cabinet, and it will be the third title won this season after the UEFA European Super Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
2. How good is Jude Bellingham’s current form?
It seems difficult to remember that Jude Bellingham did not open his scoring account for the season until November 9 at club level. Since then, in 12 appearances, he has recorded nine goals and four assists. In fact, he has scored in nine of his last 12 games, and only failed to do so against Liverpool, Sevilla and Pachuca. Against Mallorca he was very dangerous with two shots on goal and four chances created, more than any other player on the field. If the Englishman had a slow start to the season, he will most likely be up to the task now.
3. Will Luka Modrić, Aurélien Tchouameni, Fede Valverde or Jude Bellingham be ready for the final?
There were several injuries and illnesses that affected Real Madrid, from the first case with Luka Modrić ill with a virus, through the departure of Aurélien Tchouameni due to a head injury and that of Fede Valverde and Jude Bellingham due to muscle strains. After the match, Carlo Ancelotti gave a positive update: “Tchouameni looked good on the bench. The doctor preferred to take him off the field, because it was a blow to the head.” He also offered an update on his two midfielders, adding that “Bellingham and Valvede were overloaded, we weren’t expecting the heat and it affected the pace of the game,” although he didn’t specify if they are doubts for Sunday yet. While the titles are at stake, it is difficult to imagine Ancelotti taking risks with so many games ahead in all competitions in the coming weeks.
