Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2026 Spanish Super Cup | Semi-Final
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The second semi-final in this season’s Spanish Supercopa in Saudi Arabia sees a Madrid derby take place as Atletico Madrid face Real Madrid in Riyadh on Thursday.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / USA – ESPN+
Atletico Madrid preview: Frustrated Los Rojiblancos
Atletico Madrid come into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena in the Basque Country at the weekend with Goncalo Guedes cancelling out Alexander Sorloth’s opener upon their return from the mid-season winter break.
Diego Simeone has been given a lot of money to evolve the style of football of Atleti and he has been able to make them slightly more attacking, but they remain extremely frustrating and inconsistent with too many underwhelming results and performances.
Real Madrid preview: Under pressure Los Blancos
Reports do suggest that a poor defeat in the semi-finals of the Spanish Supercopa could lead to the sacking of Xabi Alonso, despite the fact that Los Blancos head into this one on the back of four successive victories across all competitions.
The best of those wins came at the weekend as the under pressure giants managed to hammer Real Betis by five goals to one at the Bernabeu with youngster Gonzalo Garcia popping up with an excellent hat-trick.
Atletico Madrid team news: Pablo Barrios a doubt
Atletico Madrid are dealing with a couple of confirmed injury absentees, Clement Lenglet and Nicolas Gonzalez, while midfielder Pablo Barrios is a doubt.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Giuliano Simeone, Koke, Gallagher, Alex Baena; Sorloth, Julian Alvarez
Unavailable: Lenglet (Injured), Gonzalez (Injured)
Questionable: Pablo Barrios (Injured)
Real Madrid team news: Mbappe likely out
Kylian Mbappe was surprisingly ruled out late on ahead of their clash with Betis and he is expected to be unavailable for this tournament, too, with Gonzalo Garcia likely to start.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Courtois; Fede Valverde, Raul Asencio, Rudiger, Carreras; Bellingham, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Goncalo Garcia, Vinicius Junior
Unavailable: Eder Militao (Injured), Dani Carvajal (Injured), Alexander-Arnold (Injured), Brahim Diaz (International duty)
Questionable: Mbappe (Injured)
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid prediction
Atletico Madrid have been more entertaining to watch in the last 12 to 18 months or so. The hosts will be expected to take confidence from their 5-2 defeat of Madrid at the Metropolitano back in late-September in La Liga. Madrid face their city rivals having finally discovered some fluency, interestingly without Mbappe, to go with the results of late and they will fancy themselves to still get past Atleti in this semi-final.
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid tip: Real Madrid to win & both teams to score
