10 stars to watch out in Spanish Super Cup final

The final of the Super Cup between Real Madrid and Barcelona, the third consecutive time they have met in this competition, brings together a large number of attractions for both teams due to the rivalry, the expectation and the context in which the match takes place in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

These are the ten main protagonists of the decisive match of the tournament (20.00 CET), which will decide the first title of the year:

Kylian Mbappe

It is the French striker's first final in this competition and, if he wins, it will be his third successive title since joining Real Madrid, after the European Super Cup against Atalanta and the Intercontinental Cup against Pachuca, at a time when he is in his best form since arriving at the club in the summer.

In both finals, Mbappe managed to score a goal, but he was unable to do so in the only ‘Clasico’ he has played in so far, the one played in La Liga on 26th October, in which the 'Cules' thrashed 'Los Blancos' 4-0 at the Bernabeu.

Vinicius Junior

The Brazilian is aiming for his fourth Super Cup, after those of 2020, 2022 and last year, in which he stole the show with a hat trick against Barcelona.

After failing to win the Ballon d'Or, Vinicius is looking to vindicate himself with a title with which to silence the controversy in which he has been involved in recent years, either for his behaviour or for the racist insults he has received.

Jude Bellingham

With nine goals in ten games, the English midfielder is in outstanding form, as was evident in the semi-final against Mallorca.

The team's improvement in the last month and a half has coincided with Bellingham's recent form, who has become the main piece in linking up with the attacking trio.

Luka Modric

Should the Croatian midfielder win, he will have won 29 titles with Real Madrid, consolidating his position as the most decorated player in the club's history.

At 39 - he will be 40 in September - and with the prospect of renewing his contract for another season, which expires next June, Modric is no longer an undisputed starter, but he remains a key player on and off the pitch.

Carlo Ancelotti

Like Modric, Carlo Ancelotti is the coach with the most titles at the club, with fifteen, after overtaking Miguel Munoz with the Intercontinental Cup won in December.

The Italian coach, awarded as the best in the world, aims to extend his legacy at the expense of a Barcelona side he has faced 17 times in his two spells on the Madrid bench, with nine wins and eight defeats.

Lamine Yamal

The Barcelona star wants to get rid of the thorn from last year in Riyadh and win his first Super Cup, which he would join the 2023 La Liga title he won with Xavi Hernandez, in which he only played one game.

At 17 years of age and after making his breakthrough as a player in the last year, he has recovered from an injury that has coincided, like the one he had in November, with Barca's worst form so far this season.

Dani Olmo

After days of uncertainty and without a federative record, Olmo, like Pau Victor, is available again after receiving the precautionary measure of the Superior Sports Council (CSD) to be registered again in the squad, which has generated a deep malaise in some clubs that see favourable treatment to Barcelona.

Olmo missed the Copa del Rey match against Barbastro and the Super Cup semi-final against Athletic Club, so his presence on the pitch, while waiting to know whether or not he will start, will be one of the main focal points of the final.

Hansi Flick

The German coach has the chance to open his trophy cabinet with the ‘Cule’ side, which would also be the club's first since Xavi's league title win two years ago in the wake of the drought they have suffered since then.

After a flying start, Flick saw the team's form drop in the final stretch of the year, with just five points from 21 in La Liga, which has seen them lose the lead to Real Madrid.

Szczesny

One of the unknowns in Barca's line-up is who will be in goal, after the Polish goalkeeper started against Athletic after it emerged that Inaki Pena was punished for arriving late for a training session.

After being signed at the beginning of October to replace German Ter Stegen because of a serious injury, Szczesny, 34, made his debut in the Copa del Rey match in Barbastro on the 4th of October.

Joan Laporta

The Barcelona president is also a protagonist of the final after his behaviour on Wednesday following the CSD ruling in favour of the club, making a middle finger gesture and insulting the directors of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Laporta, who broke his silence on the Olmo case at the RFEF reception, will share the stage with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who was absent from the event, and the president of the federation, Rafael Louzán.