Real Target Jeddah Super Cup Final Success in Clasico to Atone for Barca Mauling

 Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti attends a press conference in Jeddah on January 11, 2025, on the eve of their Spanish Super Cup final football match against Barcelona. (AFP)
Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti attends a press conference in Jeddah on January 11, 2025, on the eve of their Spanish Super Cup final football match against Barcelona. (AFP)
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Real Target Jeddah Super Cup Final Success in Clasico to Atone for Barca Mauling

 Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti attends a press conference in Jeddah on January 11, 2025, on the eve of their Spanish Super Cup final football match against Barcelona. (AFP)
Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti attends a press conference in Jeddah on January 11, 2025, on the eve of their Spanish Super Cup final football match against Barcelona. (AFP)

Real Madrid's humiliating 4-0 home loss to Barcelona in October still haunts the club as the rivals prepare for their second Clasico of the season in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday.

LaLiga leaders Real recovered from that setback and are on a five-match winning streak ahead of defending the Super Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but coach Carlo Ancelotti is cautious.

"We have to think about what happened in the first game because they beat us (in LaLiga)," Ancelotti told reporters on Saturday as he looked forward to Real's second cup final in a month, having won the Intercontinental Cup in December.

"We've made a pretty clear assessment, so we'll have to repeat the good things we did and avoid the mistakes. A Clasico is always a Clasico, but a final puts a bit more pressure on you."

Ancelotti has all the players who travelled available for the final including England midfielder Jude Bellingham, who experienced some muscle issues during the semi-final where he scored the first goal in a 3-0 win over Mallorca.

"He's fine, he's recovered well," the Italian said of Bellingham who is Real's third-highest scorer and joint-top with assists in their current LaLiga campaign.

The coach said the Super Cup was an important title, and statistically Real had a good season every time they won it.

"When we haven't won it, it hasn't gone well. It's a competition that gives you a lot more motivation," said Ancelotti, whose last two Champions League trophies with Real have coincided with Super Cup wins.

"Barcelona are a historic rival and the matches are always very competitive. It's difficult for us and for them. The result of the match cannot be predicted," he added.



Liverpool Braced for Premier League Title Party

Liverpool Braced for Premier League Title Party
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Liverpool Braced for Premier League Title Party

Liverpool Braced for Premier League Title Party

Liverpool have one hand on the Premier League trophy as they seek the solitary point they need against struggling Tottenham on Sunday that would guarantee a record-equaling 20th English title.

A draw at an expectant Anfield would take Arne Slot's men 13 points clear of Arsenal with just four games remaining, meaning they could not be caught.

Below them, Chelsea and Newcastle have the chance to press their case for Champions League qualification with Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa all involved in the FA Cup semi-finals.

At the bottom of the table, Ipswich's fate could be sealed.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of this weekend's action:

Liverpool on the brink

It is tough to see struggling Tottenham delaying Liverpool's title party at Anfield.

After Arsenal's home draw against Crystal Palace in midweek, Arne Slot's men just need a draw to seal the deal and pull level with bitter rivals Manchester United on 20 English titles.

Out-of-form Tottenham are 16th in the league table and have a miserable record at Anfield -- not winning there since 2011.

Liverpool won the reverse fixture this season 6-3 and were 4-1 winners on aggregate in their two-legged League Cup semi-final.

Captain Virgil van Dijk said it had been an "outstanding season" but that there was still work to do after Liverpool's 1-0 at Leicester last week.

"Now we have the chance to finish it off on the weekend against a very good Tottenham Hotspur, in my opinion," he said. "We played three times already against them this season and every game was very intense.

"To be in this position now, it's a good position but we're not there yet. We all have to realize that and we will. We'll make sure of that. It's a good week of preparation and then we have to be ready."

Champions League shootout

Just four points separate third-placed Manchester City from Aston Villa in seventh in the race for Champions League spots next season.

For the first time the Premier League's top five will all qualify for Europe's top club competition, due to strong performances in continental competition.

Liverpool are already guaranteed a spot and Arsenal, 10 points clear of Chelsea in sixth, are practically there, leaving three places open.

City stole a march this week in the mini-league with a last-gasp win against Villa after Nottingham Forest, now fourth, beat Tottenham on Monday.

Villa play Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, with Forest taking on City the following day at Wembley.

It means Newcastle, who could have Eddie Howe back on the touchline after a bout of pneumonia, would leapfrog City if they beat lowly Ipswich.

Chelsea badly need to beat Everton at home with a tough run of games to come against Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester United and Forest.

Southampton playing for pride, Ipswich on brink

Southampton's 1-1 draw at West Ham last week meant they drew level with Derby's record-low points tally of 11 from the 2007/08 season, with five games to go to better the Rams' total.

But it will be of limited comfort after a miserable season for Saints, who were relegated earlier this month.

Leicester are already down and Ipswich appear certain to follow them barring a miracle -- a draw for West Ham at Brighton on Saturday would seal their fate.

It would be the second successive season in which all three promoted clubs had been relegated straight back to the Championship.

Prior to the 2023/24 campaign, this had last occurred in 1997/98.

All the evidence points to a worrying and widening chasm between English football's top two tiers as the season nears its end.

Fixtures

Saturday (1400 GMT unless stated)

Chelsea v Everton (1130), Brighton v West Ham, Newcastle v Ipswich, Southampton v Fulham, Wolves v Leicester

Sunday

Bournemouth v Manchester United (1300), Liverpool v Tottenham (1530)