Today’s Spanish Supercopa final between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah is the most visible symbol of a fast-developing link between Spanish football and Saudi Arabia. Now in its fifth year, the ‘Saudi Supercopa’ is considered by some as the cherry on top of a mutually beneficial relationship.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - January 11, 2025 Real Madrid and Barcelona will compete this Sunday to win the Spanish Super Cup with the incentive that, in addition to being the first title of the year, will put on the carpet of King Abdullah Stadium a constellation of stars from both sides with an uncertain prediction about the outcome depending on how both reach the final.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - January 11, 2025 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Jan 11 (EFE).-Real Madrid and Barcelona will battle it out for the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday, with the added incentive of not only being the first title of the year,

Moneyed Saudi Arabian clubs are interested in trying to sign two of FC Barcelona's biggest first team stars according to the Catalan media.

Barcelona spent most of last week in Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Supercup, coming out victorious over rivals Real Madrid in emphatic fashion. That will add a few million euros to their accounts, but

Lamine Yamal and Gavi Páez scored to lead Barcelona past Athletic Bilbao 2-0 and into the Spanish Super Cup final.

Following Real Madrid's 3-0 victory in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals over Mallorca on Thursday, the first El Clasico of 2025 is here in quite an occasion. Jude Bellingham netted the winning goal to set up the meeting between the two rivals as Los Blancos will face Barcelona after they took care of Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday by a 2-0 margin with Gavi and Lamine Yamal scoring.

While the first 2025 Spanish Super Cup semifinal in Saudi Arabia drew 39,000 spectators and the second nearly 47,000, the prospect of Real Madrid and Barcelona facing each other in El Clásico in the final changes everything.

Real Madrid used their success in Saudi as a launchpad to win LaLiga later that season, while Barcelona Femenina went even better by claiming the domestic double. Liga F was secured with 99 points – a 25-point margin on rivals Real Madrid – before claiming the Copa de la Reina.

All that was needed was a good game of football – and boy, did it deliver. Saudi Arabia has created a welcome habit of staging memorable Clásicos since assuming Super Cup hosting duties in 2020, but even by the Kingdom’s previous high standards, this was something else.

Real Madrid came out looking for some payback in the latest “clasico” against Barcelona but ended up being embarrassed again.

Lamine Yamal still wears braces. Barcelona’s teenage sensation has emerged as opponents’ No. 1 problem thanks to his speed, creativity, and gorgeous goals from Lionel Messi’s old spot on the right flank.