Real Madrid is gearing up to face FC Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final at King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The match offers both teams a chance to claim their first title of the year. Ahead of the highly anticipated clash, Federico Valverde reflected on Real Madrid’s crushing 4-0 defeat to Barcelona earlier this season, admitting it was a moment that deeply impacted the team.
Back in October, Real Madrid hosted the first El Clasico of the 2024-25 season at the Santiago Bernabeu. After a goalless first half, Barcelona unleashed a dominant second-half performance, netting four goals to seal a stunning 0-4 victory. For Real Madrid, it was a turning point, and Valverde acknowledged how that result served as a wake-up call.
“There’s a strong sense of wanting revenge after that 0-4 result. It was hard to sleep that night because we didn’t expect to lose like that,” Valverde said during a pre-match press conference ahead of the Spanish Super Cup final.
The Uruguayan midfielder provided further insight into how the defeat unfolded: “In the first half, we had chances to score, but in the second half, they came out stronger, and we didn’t do things right. That gave us the drive and strength to move forward and become the team we are today.”
Valverde and Jude Bellingham both suffered adductor strains during Real Madrid’s semifinal win over Mallorca. However, head coach Carlo Ancelotti is optimistic about their availability for the final. “Despite the overloads, I believe both will have no problem playing in the final,” said Ancelotti, expressing confidence in his key players ahead of Sunday’s showdown.
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Valverde defends Mbappe after offside struggles
One of the talking points from the last El Clasico was Kylian Mbappe’s struggles with Barcelona’s offside trap. The French forward was caught offside eight times and had two goals disallowed. Despite this, Valverde remains confident in Mbappe’s abilities.
“I can’t give lessons to a player who has already won a World Cup and played in another final. He’s won everything in France and is one of the best in the world—he knows what he needs to do,” he reassured. “We’re concerned about the offside trap because they’re executing it well, but we have to be cautious to ensure their defenders can’t stop us,” he added.
Mbappe has shown significant improvement since the start of the season and has delivered in clutch moments for Real Madrid. The Frenchman scored in both the UEFA Super Cup final against Atalanta and the Intercontinental Cup final against Pachuca. Now, he’ll look to extend his streak in finals with a standout performance against Barcelona.
