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For the third year in a row, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to face off in the Supercopa de Espana (Super Cup) final, delivering another high-stakes El Clasico.
The clash will take place at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, as per Olympics.com. Barcelona secured their spot in the final with a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the first semi-final on Wednesday. Real Madrid followed suit on Thursday, defeating Mallorca in a dominant 3-0 performance to set up the much-anticipated showdown. The Supercopa de Espana, organized by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), is an annual competition that marks the start of the Spanish football season. Under its current format, the tournament features four teams competing in a semi-final and final structure. The participants include the La Liga champions, Copa del Rey winners, and runners-up from both competitions (provided they are not the same teams). This year, Real Madrid entered the tournament as reigning La Liga champions, while Barcelona qualified as La Liga runners-up. Athletic Bilbao earned their place by winning last year's Copa del Rey, overcoming Mallorca in the final. As one of Spain's most prestigious football tournaments, the Supercopa offers teams the chance to secure the season's first trophy. Both finalists have a rich history in the competition. Barcelona holds the record with 14 Supercopa titles, narrowly edging out Real Madrid, who have 13 to their name. Last year, Real Madrid clinched the title with a convincing 4-1 victory, while Barcelona emerged victorious the year before with a 3-1 win over their eternal rivals. This season, Real Madrid leads the La Liga standings with 43 points from 19 matches, while Barcelona sits third with 38 points from an equal number of games. With silverware and bragging rights on the line, this El Clasico promises to be yet another thrilling chapter in one of football's greatest rivalries. (ANI)
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