A new classic will be experienced in the 2024 Spanish Super Cup final. Real Madrid and Barça, who defeated Atlético de Madrid and Osasuna respectively in the semi-finals, will face each other this Sunday at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh. The Barça team won the match magnificently (3-1), which would be the second official match of the season between both teams and a repeat of last year’s final. A final that his team considered one of their best since managing Xavi Hernández.
Real Madrid rested on Thursday and regained strength after the defeat against Atlético de Madrid, including in extra time. Training this Friday at Al Nassr facilities. Barça suffered the injury against Osasuna during the post-match recovery session at the same concentration hotel, the JW Marriott, while awaiting the medical tests Raphinha needed to undergo.
AND Xavi’s, is already preparing the new classic with his assistants. With two clear references. Last year’s final and the first 60 minutes of this season’s League match were played in MontjuïcBarça, which dominated the whites in the first hour of the match, lost 1-2 in the last minutes. “We must try to bring these to our field. They are stronger than last year, but we have to impose our game. Have the ball and dominate the game“Xavi declared after the win against Osasuna that he was one of the keys to Sunday’s classic.
Since sitting on the bench, the Terrassa coach already has in mind everything his team needs to do if they want to win a third title. There will be another key “Be strong in defense, don’t make mistakes, don’t make it easy for your opponent.”“. to defend.
center of the field
In any case, the Catalan knows that the match will be played in the middle of the field. “They’ve changed the system, they’re playing without a pure nine, they’re doing it as Bellingham’s midfielder, kind of like a diamond. So it will be important for us to take the ball away from them and show our DNA more than ever.“Xavi explained.
Barça has Pedri to achieve this. The Canaries resurfaced against Osasuna. He played with good feeling for half an hour and is getting ready to go to the final. “Everything becomes clear when he is on the field. He doesn’t lose the balls, he comes looking for them, he gives the ball to you. Tells us what we want to play“, said Xavi, explaining that he did not refuse to play with four midfielders because he knew that the fight would take place in the middle of the field.
In fact, the square formula was the formula used in last year’s Super Cup final. With Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Gavi and Sergio Busquets. “I’m not ignoring all four midfielders“Egarense, who can choose the midfield with De Jong, Gündoğan, Pedri and Sergi Roberto, shows this,” he said.controlling the game and imposing our personality“.
The fact that Raphinha is injured opens the door wide to this option, leaving Lewandowski behind and playing Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal and Joao Félix on the other side; Considering that Osasuna’s last two in the semi-finals are very important. stand.