Real Madrid may be through to the Spanish Super Cup final in Jeddah, but they head into Sunday’s showdown with fresh injury concerns — and that has only strengthened the feeling that Barcelona are slight favourites going into the Clásico.
Barcelona’s momentum has been one of the big talking points in the build-up, with the Catalans carrying a strong winning run into the final. Real Madrid, meanwhile, are now waiting on late medical decisions after the derby win over Atlético Madrid.
Rüdiger unlikely after knee discomfort
In the second half of the Madrid derby, Xabi Alonso made a notable change by withdrawing both centre-backs around the 69th minute. One of them, Raúl Asencio, is believed to be dealing with minor discomfort and is expected to be fine.
The bigger issue is Antonio Rüdiger. He appeared to struggle physically before being substituted, and reports suggest Real Madrid are not confident he will be ready in time for the final. With only a short recovery window between the semi-final and Sunday’s match, the club may decide not to take risks.
Huijsen and Asencio could start
If Rüdiger is ruled out, the most likely centre-back partnership becomes Dean Huijsen and Raúl Asencio. Huijsen did not feature in the semi-final, but the expectation is that he should be available for the final.
David Alaba is also a possible alternative, although it would be a surprise if he is thrown into such a high-intensity game after limited starts over the last year.
Mbappé boost: “He has chances”
There is some positive news for Madrid too. Xabi Alonso has indicated that Kylian Mbappé has chances to play. The forward has been managing a knee issue in recent weeks, but he is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia for assessment by the club’s medical team before a final decision is made on his availability for the matchday squad.
What this means tactically
If Rüdiger misses out, Madrid may have to defend a little deeper at times, especially against Barcelona’s runs between the lines. A Huijsen–Asencio pairing could offer freshness and composure, but the occasion will demand top concentration, good positioning, and strong protection from the midfield.
If Mbappé is cleared, his presence changes everything — not only for Madrid’s attacking threat, but also for how Barcelona set up defensively, because they may be forced to sit a bit deeper to manage his speed and movement.