Barcelona receives disappointing news ahead of the Super Cup final against Real Madrid

Although Barcelona has advanced past Athletic Club to reach the Spanish Super Cup final, they face an unsettling sign as history favors Real Madrid before the decisive match.

A convincing win over Athletic Club has helped Barcelona secure a spot in the Spanish Super Cup final, but the Catalan club’s joy is quickly overshadowed by a haunting statistic.

Since the tournament adopted the “final four” format, no reigning La Liga champion has ever won the Super Cup. Barcelona now finds itself in that exact situation and risks becoming the next victim of this puzzling trend.

Under coach Hansi Flick, Barcelona is showing more consistency compared to last season. However, simply reaching the final does not guarantee an advantage. Their likely opponent, Real Madrid, has been particularly successful in recent Super Cups, especially when facing Barca directly.

The history of the Spanish Super Cup since 2020 creates unease among Barcelona fans. In the first season using the new format, Barca entered as La Liga champions but saw Real Madrid lift the trophy.

The following year, Real Madrid were domestic champions but failed to reach the final, while Barcelona again fell to Athletic Club in the final match.

The same pattern repeated in 2022 and 2023, with the La Liga champions consistently losing in the Super Cup. The peak of Barcelona’s curse came in 2024, when they reached the final as the 2022/23 La Liga winners but were defeated by Real Madrid in a one-sided El Clasico.

These events have turned the Spanish Super Cup into a competition where the status of domestic champion seems to offer no guarantee whatsoever.

Therefore, the upcoming final carries a very different meaning for Barcelona. On one hand, they have the chance to break a curse that has lasted half a decade. On the other, facing Real Madrid—who have benefited from this “reversed rule” multiple times—puts immense pressure on Hansi Flick’s team.

Many worry that history might repeat itself, especially since Real Madrid always show resilience in decisive matches.

Barcelona has done well to secure a place in the final, but a much bigger challenge awaits. If they fail to overcome Real Madrid, the Catalan club will not only miss out on the title but also extend an unfortunate Super Cup record, where the curse seems far from over.