Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Match Preview
The second semi-final of the 2026 Supercopa de España brings a high-voltage Derbi Madrileño to the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Thursday, 8 January 2026.1 Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid arrive in Saudi Arabia flying high after crushing Real Betis 5–1 just four days ago, a game where youngster Gonzalo García announced himself to the world with a stunning hat-trick in the absence of Kylian Mbappé.
Atlético Madrid, meanwhile, land in Jeddah with a point to prove. Diego Simeone’s men thumped their city rivals 5–2 back in September but stumbled slightly in their last outing, a 1–1 draw away at Real Sociedad on Monday.3 With just two full days of rest compared to Real’s three, Los Colchoneros will need to dig deep into their reserves of stamina and grit to book a place in Sunday’s final against either Barcelona or Athletic Club.
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Match Info
- Competition: Spanish Super Cup (Semi-Final)
- Venue: King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah (Capacity: 62,345)
- Date: Thursday, 8 January 2026
- Kickoff: 22:00 AST (Local) | 20:00 CET | 19:00 GMT | 14:00 ET
- Referee: Busquets M. (ESP)
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Match Stakes
Atlético Madrid:
- Win → Advances to the Final; confirms their recent dominance over Real after the 5–2 win in La Liga.
- Loss → Elimination; focus returns solely to La Liga and Champions League.
Real Madrid:
- Win → Advances to the Final; avenges the humiliating September defeat; keeps the “Quadruple” dream alive under Xabi Alonso.
- Loss → Semi-final exit; raises doubts about the squad’s ability to cope without Mbappé in big games against elite defenses.
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Team News
Atlético Madrid:
- Nico González — Out (Muscle Injury – Midfield Engine Missing)
- Lenglet C. — Out (Knee Injury)
- Fatigue Concern: Having played on Monday night (Jan 5), Atleti are at a significant physical disadvantage. Simeone may rotate his wing-backs early.
- Attack: Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann are expected to start, looking to replicate their heroics from the 5–2 win.
Real Madrid:
- Mbappé K. — Out (Knee Injury – Superstar Missing)
- Eder Militão — Out (Hamstring Injury – Defensive Leader Missing)
- Gonzalo García — Likely to Start (Fresh off a hat-trick vs Betis).
- Alaba D. — Available (Likely to partner Rüdiger or Asencio in defense).
- Tactical Note: Xabi Alonso will likely trust the same XI that demolished Betis, with Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo flanking the new sensation García.
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Atlético Madrid
- 05/01 — 1–1 vs Real Sociedad (La Liga)
- 21/12 — 3–0 vs Girona (La Liga)
- 17/12 — 3–2 vs Baleares (Copa del Rey)
- 13/12 — 2–1 vs Valencia (La Liga)
- 10/12 — 3–2 vs PSV (UCL)
Real Madrid
- 04/01 — 5–1 vs Real Betis (La Liga)
- 21/12 — 2–0 vs Sevilla (La Liga)
- 18/12 — 3–2 vs CF Talavera (Copa del Rey)
- 15/12 — 2–1 vs Alaves (La Liga)
- 11/12 — 1–2 vs Manchester City (UCL)
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 27/09/2025 — Atlético Madrid 5–2 Real Madrid (La Liga)
- 13/03/2025 — Atlético Madrid 1–1 Real Madrid (UCL)
- 05/03/2025 — Real Madrid 2–1 Atlético Madrid (UCL)
- 09/02/2025 — Real Madrid 1–1 Atlético Madrid (La Liga)
- 30/09/2024 — Atlético Madrid 1–1 Real Madrid (La Liga)
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Atlético Madrid (5-3-2)
Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Gimenez, Azpilicueta, Lino; De Paul, Koke, Gallagher; Griezmann, Alvarez
Real Madrid (4-3-3)
Courtois; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Asencio, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Gonzalo García, Vinicius Jr
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Impact Bench
Atlético Madrid: Sorloth (Aerial threat), Barrios (Energy), Correa (The “Super Sub”)
Real Madrid: Arda Güler (Creativity), Endrick (Explosive pace), Brahim Diaz (Dribbling)
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Tactical Analysis
Atlético Madrid
Simeone will know that Real Madrid are vulnerable in transition without Militão. In the 5–2 win, Atleti bypassed Real’s press with direct balls to Alvarez. However, with heavy legs from Monday’s game, Atleti might sit deeper than usual, inviting pressure and looking to release Samuel Lino or Molina on the counter. Stopping Vinicius Jr will be the priority for Nahuel Molina and De Paul.
Real Madrid
Under Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid have become more possession-oriented but showed devastating verticality against Betis. Without Mbappé, the attack is less predictable but more fluid, with Gonzalo García dropping deep and Bellingham crashing the box. Real will target Atleti’s left side, trying to isolate Azpilicueta against the pace of Rodrygo and Carvajal.
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Key Battles
- Gonzalo García vs Gimenez — The breakout star vs the veteran warrior.
- Vinicius Jr vs Molina — The classic derby duel on the flank.
- Bellingham vs Koke — Battle for midfield supremacy.
- Griezmann vs Tchouameni — Atleti’s creator finding space behind Real’s midfield.
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Spotlight Players
Atlético Madrid — Julián Álvarez
The “Spider” scored twice in the September derby.13 His relentless pressing could be a nightmare for a Real defense missing Militão. He needs to be clinical.
Real Madrid — Gonzalo García
All eyes are on the 21-year-old. Can he replicate his hat-trick performance on the big stage? He offers a different threat to Mbappé—more of a poacher—which might actually trouble Atleti’s low block more.
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Prediction
Atlético Madrid 1–3 Real Madrid
While Atleti won the last meeting comprehensively, the context is different here. Real Madrid had an extra day of rest and looked frighteningly sharp against Betis, whereas Atleti struggled against Sociedad just 72 hours ago. Fatigue will play a major factor in the second half. Expect Xabi Alonso’s men to exact revenge and book their place in the final.
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Betting Insights
- Real Madrid to Win — High Value (Form + Rest Advantage).
- Over 3.5 Goals — Likely (Last H2H had 7 goals; Real just scored 5).
- Gonzalo García to Score — High Value (In hot form).
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — Where to Watch
- Spain: Movistar+
- USA: ESPN+ / ESPN Deportes
- International: Saudi Sports Company (SSC)
Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid — FAQs
Q: When is the Atleti vs Real Madrid match?
A: The match kicks off on Thursday, 8 January 2026, at 22:00 local time in Jeddah.15
Q: Why is Kylian Mbappé not playing?
A: He is out with a knee injury sustained in December.
Q: Who is Gonzalo García?
A: He is a Real Madrid academy graduate who scored a hat-trick against Betis on Jan 4, replacing Mbappé in the lineup.
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