Barça and Real Madrid meet again with title at stake

Barça and Real Madrid meet again with title at stake

The azulgranas are looking to take the first step in defending the Super Cup against an opponent who hopes to be more competitive than last time

MADRID, 18 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

FC Barcelona and Real Madrid will face each other again this Thursday (6:30 p.m./Teledeporte) in the Spanish Super Cup for women's football, a duel where the blaugranas are once again presented as favorites and in which more equality is expected than in his last game.

As happened last year in this competition and in the Copa de la Reina, the draw prevented the possibility of both teams meeting for the first time with a title at stake. They will have to do it again in the semifinals, an insurmountable obstacle for the madridistas up to now.

These were pushed to the limit last year in the semifinals of the Super Cup played in the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas (Madrid), falling to a goal from Alexia Putellas in added time, but in the Cup they were clearly dismasted by the team of Jonatan Giraldez (4-0).

And the last precedent, which was expected to be balanced, was also favorable to Barça, who hit the table when they visited Alfredo di Stéfano in League F, where they were far superior despite the many casualties and to the good competitive level that Alberto Toril's team was offering. Another win (0-4), in a clash that left some tension between the players of both teams.

The current champion, whose move to the quarterfinals in the Copa de la Reina is in doubt due to the possible misalignment of Geyse Ferreira in El Sadar and who this year has only lost to Bayern, starts as a favorite and Real Madrid will want to improve its image and make, at least, that the game is as 'long' as possible like a year ago.

Jonatan Giráldez has been recovering troops, although in addition to Alexia Putellas, he still does not have Caroline Graham Hansen and he will not have Ingrid Engen -both renewed this week- nor Bruna Vilamala. Even so, he maintains his defensive solidity and offensive power with an Oshoala and a Salma Paralluelo that are getting better every day.

A coach who expects a "better version" of Real Madrid compared to last year's team in this same competition. "They have higher-level players. It's not just about signing players, but you also need time to lay the foundations of the game. Also the experience that playing important games gives you. He reached the Champions League quarterfinals and those experiences will prepare you for mental level," he said.

"Real Madrid is more prepared. To win would be to drink a bottle of water in the middle of a marathon race", compared the Galician, although he is not worried about what the rival does or does not do. "We are used to rivals trying to get us to play as little as possible. The rhythm of the game with and without the ball is the only concern for us. I see my team as mature," he assured.

For its part, Real Madrid arrives in good shape for this duel and having left behind the disappointment of not having qualified for the quarterfinals of the Champions League, although the demanding duels against Chelsea and PSG may have helped them. to improve their competitiveness.

So far, the Madrid team has only lost this year against Barça, the English team and the French team, and since the setback against the Catalans, they have won their next six league games and conceded two goals.

The defensive level and goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez are key to a match in which they will also have to counteract the best physical rival and in which they hope that the trio made up of Esther González, Caroline Weir and Athenea del Castillo will be at a better level than in the November crash. Toril must also decide if she bets on defense of three.

"We are facing this game with confidence. We have started the year very well, with a lot of solidity on the field, so we hope that in this game we will follow the same line and be able to compete well. We have the energy and the ambition to win, and we know that we have possibilities", commented Alberto Toril in the previous one.

The Andalusian coach knows that "there are 90 minutes in which you have to take great care of the details and be focused." "It's a game to enjoy, we can reach the first final in our history and that's how we're going to face it," he stressed.

FC BARCELONA: Cloths; Bronze, Paredes, León, Rolfö; Bonmati, Walsh, Guijarro; Caldentey, Oshoala and Paralluelo.

REAL MADRID: Rodriguez; Robles, Kathellen, Galvez, Carmona; Zornoza, Toletti; Del Castillo, Weir, Feller; and Gonzalez.

--REFEREE: Martha Garden of Aza (C.Tinerfeño).

--STADY: Roman Jose Fouto.

--TIME: 6:30 p.m./Teledeporte.