The desert heat of Jeddah sets the stage for a blockbuster Madrid Derby tonight, Thursday, January 8, 2026, as Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid battle for a spot in the Supercopa de España final. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:00 GMT+1 (22:00 local time) at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
With a final against Barcelona—who dismantled Athletic Bilbao 5–0 yesterday—awaiting the winner, the stakes couldn't be higher. For Xabi Alonso, it's a chance to secure his first trophy as Real Madrid manager; for Diego Simeone, it's an opportunity to prove that September’s dominant derby win was no fluke.
Match Details: Kick-off & Official Info
Competition: Supercopa de España (Semifinal)
Date: Thursday, January 8, 2026
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT+1 / 19:00 GMT / 14:00 ET
Venue: King Abdullah Sports City ("The Jewel"), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Referee: Mateo Busquets Ferrer
Broadcast: TNT Sports (UK), ESPN+ / ABC (US), Movistar Plus+ (Spain)
The Storyline: Alonso’s Redemption vs. Simeone’s Statement
Real Madrid: The Post-Mbappé Response
Real Madrid arrives in Saudi Arabia without their talisman Kylian Mbappé, who remains in Spain recovering from a knee sprain. However, Los Blancos proved they have depth in spades by crushing Real Betis 5–1 last weekend. The star of that show was academy graduate Gonzalo García, who bagged a perfect hat-trick and is expected to lead the line again tonight.
Xabi Alonso is under pressure to deliver silverware after a rocky autumn that saw Real fall four points behind Barcelona in La Liga. Redemption is the theme of the week; the last time these two met in September, Atlético embarrassed Real with a 5–2 victory. Alonso will be desperate to show that his side has learned from that defensive collapse.
Atlético Madrid: The Giantslayer's Confidence
Diego Simeone’s men are unbeaten in their last five competitive games. While their recent 1–1 draw with Real Sociedad was frustrating, the memory of their five-goal haul against Real Madrid in September serves as a massive psychological boost.
Julián Álvarez remains the focal point of the Atleti attack. Despite a slight scoring drought, the Argentine's work rate and big-game temperament make him the man Real’s defense fears most. With Alexander Sørloth providing a physical presence alongside him, Atlético possesses an attacking duo that can exploit the absences in the Real Madrid backline.
Team News & Injury Reports
Real Madrid Team News
Major Absentees: Kylian Mbappé (knee) and Éder Militão (hamstring) are out. Trent Alexander-Arnold traveled but is not expected to play.
AFCON Duty: Brahim Díaz is away with Morocco.
Defensive Shuffles: With Antonio Rüdiger dealing with a minor knee issue, young Dean Huijsen is expected to partner Raúl Asencio or Rüdiger himself if passed fit. Federico Valverde will likely continue as a makeshift right-back.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Courtois; Valverde, Rüdiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Gonzalo García, Vinícius Júnior.
Atlético Madrid Team News
Doubts: Midfield engine Pablo Barrios is a major doubt after picking up a calf injury. Conor Gallagher is ready to step in.
Out: Clément Lenglet (knee) and Nicolás González (hamstring) remain in Madrid.
Boost: José María Giménez is back in the squad after six weeks out and could provide much-needed experience in defense.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Giménez, Hancko; Simeone, Koke, Gallagher, Baena; Sorloth, Álvarez.
Head-to-Head (H2H) & Key Stats
September 2025: Atlético Madrid 5–2 Real Madrid (La Liga).
Supercopa History: Real Madrid has won two of the four Supercopa meetings between these sides, including the 2020 final on penalties.
The "Vinícius" Drought: Vinícius Júnior has gone 15 games without a goal for Real Madrid, a streak he is desperate to end in Jeddah.
New Format Rule: If the match is tied after 90 minutes, it will go straight to a penalty shootout (no extra time).
Tactical Analysis: High Lines and Young Stars
Real Madrid’s success against Betis came from the fluidity of Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo supporting the young Gonzalo García. However, against Atlético, they face a far more disciplined "low block." If Fede Valverde is forced to play right-back, Atlético will look to exploit that wing via the pace of Alex Baena and Samuel Lino (if used).
Simeone will likely challenge Real to break them down, relying on Jan Oblak’s shot-stopping and quick counters. The battle between Conor Gallagher and Jude Bellingham in the center of the park will be the most physical and perhaps the most decisive area of the pitch.
Match Prediction
Finals and semifinals between these two are notoriously tight. While Atlético has the recent psychological edge, Real Madrid's 5-1 win last weekend suggests they have found a way to score without Mbappé. This could go all the way to the new "straight to penalties" format.
Final Score Prediction: Atlético Madrid 1–1 Real Madrid (Real Madrid win on penalties)
