Real Madrid vs Barcelona Prediction: Back Real to score at least twice

The Supercopa de Espana Final features the two El Clasico teams, who both came through their semi-finals earlier in the week. As of Saturday evening, there was still no broadcast TV partner for this game in the United Kingdom for the 19:00 kick-off...

Our Spanish-based football expert Mark Sochon previews the action and picks out his two Best Bets for the game as he gives us his Real Madrid vs Barcelona Predictions...

*You can check out all of the Football Odds we offer over at betfred.com

It's the final of the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday, and for the third season in a row, Barcelona and Real Madrid meet in El Clásico to decide who will get their hands on the trophy. 

An improving Barça were 3-1 winners in the 2023 final, with what was then Xavi's side using the victory as a launchpad to go on and win La Liga. However, last season's final delivered a dominant 4-1 Real Madrid victory with Vinícius Júnior netting a First Half hat-trick as the Catalans were blown away. 

Los Blancos won all three meetings last season, but the balance of power can shift quite quickly in this rivalry and the side from the Spanish capital were humiliated in the only Clásico so far this term, a 4-0 Barcelona win at the Santiago Bernabéu back in October. 

Even since then, it feels like there has been a significant swing back towards Real Madrid in terms of the current superiority amongst these two eternal rivals.  

Barça would win their following two matches after El Clásico, but they'd record victory in just three of their next nine in all competitions, with three damaging home defeats on the spin in La Liga seeing them lose their grip on pole position in the Spanish title race.  

A significant advantage at the top of La Liga has turned into a five point deficit on Real Madrid, while they're likely to trail Atlético by six points by Sunday night. As such, it's Hansi Flick who is perhaps more in need of the victory in Jeddah. 

The German can at least take some encouragement from his side's performances since returning from a much needed break over the festive period. They comfortably brushed aside minnows Barbastro 4-0 in the Copa del Rey, before a 2-0 triumph over in-form Athletic Club in a potentially tricky Supercopa semi-final with Lamine Yamal and Gavi on target. 

Even at the age of just 17, Yamal's importance to this team is already very striking. Barça have lost four of their five league games this season when the Spain international hasn't started, but have won 12 out of 14 when the teenager has been in the eleven. 

By contrast, Real Madrid arguably look a more balanced side when one of their main attacking stars is missing. With Vinícius, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé all having a tendency to drift out to the left and look to cut inside, it was always going to be something of a balancing act for Carlo Ancelotti, in terms of trying to find the formula to get the best out of the immense talent he has at his disposal. 

He's perhaps not quite there yet, but Real Madrid's recent form has been positive and they look a more convincing attacking unit now than was the case when these sides last met. 

It's seven wins and a draw from their last eight games in all competitions. Los Blancos have scored three or more goals in all but one of those games, and while the opposition hasn't always been the strongest, it's still an impressive run of results and one that leaves Ancelotti's side well placed to go on and make a strong push for silverware in the second half of the campaign. 

They were frustrated by Mallorca for more than an hour in their semi-final on Thursday. However, Bellingham ultimately broke the deadlock with a composed finish for his seventh goal in nine games, while two Stoppage Time strikes ultimately added some gloss to a final score of 3-0 to the holders of this trophy. 

While this competition may not be the number one priority for either of these sides, El Clásico is always a big deal and with both teams looking a little bit vulnerable defensively, we should be in for another entertaining meeting on Sunday night. 

Team News: 

There are no fresh problems for Barcelona since their semi-final win, with Marc Bernal and Marc-André ter Stegen their only injury absentees currently. 

The big news since midweek is that the club has found a temporary solution to Dani Olmo's registration issues, meaning the 26-year-old is available to feature in this game. Olmo will be gunning for Gavi's place in the starting eleven, but no other changes are likely, unless Flick decides to recall league number one Iñaki Peña in goal in place of Wojciech Szczęsny who has started the last two games. 

As for Real Madrid, they may start with the same eleven that ultimately dismantled Mallorca on Thursday night, although Fran García and Dani Ceballos are among the most likely options should Ancelotti decide fresh legs are needed. 

Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão are their only notable injury absentees, with both players sidelined long-term with ACL issues. Vinícius is available again despite his upcoming league ban following a recent red card at Mestalla. 

Real Madrid vs Barcelona Odds

Real Madrid are the 5/4 favourites to win the game in 90 minutes, while you can back Los Blancos to lift the trophy at 8/11.  

Meanwhile, Barcelona are on offer at 13/8 to win the game and 1/1 to lift the trophy, with the match to head straight to penalties if things are level at the full time whistle. 

You can normally rely on El Clásico to deliver goals. There have been at least four in each of the last three competitive meetings and you can back Over 3.5 goals at 5/4 here. Both teams to score is priced at 4/9, while you can use the Bet Builder to back Over 2.5 goals and Both teams to score at 4/7. 

Both teams should start with all of their key attacking players on the pitch so there are plenty of appealing options in the goalscorer markets. 

From a Real Madrid perspective, you can back Mbappé to score anytime at 10/11, while Bellingham is available at 2/1 to continue his current hot streak in front of goal by getting on the scoresheet. You can back Vinícius to score anytime at 11/10, while the Brazilian is available at 30/1 to repeat last season's feat and score a hat-trick in the Supercopa final. 

La Liga top scorer Robert Lewandowski is priced at 11/10 to score anytime. You can also back in-form Raphinha to get on the scoresheet at 6/4, while Lamine Yamal is priced at 2/1 in the same market. 

Bet 1 - Over 1.5 Real Madrid goals @ 4/5 

With 26 goals in their last eight matches, Real Madrid are looking a lot more convincing in the final third than was the case when these sides last met. Even on that occasion, they looked really threatening in the opening 45 minutes, only to be frequently denied by a Barcelona offside trap that was almost flawless in that game. 

Flick has persisted with his high line, but teams have found ways to breach it over the past couple of months, and it does still feel like that approach may be playing with fire against a Real Madrid attack that is blessed with so much raw pace. 

I can see Los Blancos timing their runs better in this game and getting in behind on a number of occasions, and I'm backing Over 1.5 Real Madrid goals at 4/5. 

Bet 2 - Both teams to score, Robert Lewandowski 1+ shots on target & Kylian Mbappé 1+ shots on target @ 5/6 

Mbappé was caught offside on a ridiculous eight occasions in the league Clásico, with the match largely summing up his difficult start to life in Madrid. We have seen a sharper and more confident looking Mbappé in recent weeks though, and he's still taking lots of shots, with his average of 4.4 per game the highest in La Liga. 

Lewandowski's average of 3.6 shots per game is the second highest in the Spanish top flight, although he has been much more clinical, with 16 goals to the Frenchman's 10. Flick's reluctance to rest the veteran striker so far suggests Lewandowski would have benefitted more than most from the break, and he returned to action with a brace in the Copa del Rey last weekend. 

I can see both forwards getting good opportunities in this game, and I'm using the Bet Builder to back Both teams to score, Robert Lewandowski 1+ shots on target and Kylian Mbappé 1+ shots on target at 5/6. 

Mark Sochon primarily covers Spanish Football for us at Betfred Insights. You can check out Mark's La Liga Betting Tips along with those from the rest of the Betfred Insights Spanish Football writers on our La Liga home page...