Xavi’s Barcelona are set to take on an inspired Real Madrid side in the Spanish Super Cup Final. With both sides having come to Saudi Arabia with the intention of winning the competition, they each now have their chance. However, victory will not come easily to Barcelona as they take on their eternal rivals.
Tactically, this will be a massive battle for Xavi Hernandez to overcome and prove his mettle. With his team not showcasing its quality at a consistent rate, his tactics against Real Madrid will need to be flawless to work out.
One tactic that, according to Mundo Deportivo, Xavi hopes to make use of is the one that gave his side a lot of joy in previous encounters. As per MD, the Barcelona coach hopes to revert back to using a four-man midfield against Los Blancos.
However, within this four-man midfield, the guarantees are still limited. Three of those four midfielders are most likely to be Pedri, Frenkie De Jong, and Ilkay Gundogan. The trio of the Spanish, Dutch, and German midfielders is all but set as the primary protagonists of the midfield.
Yet, the fourth addition to that midfield still remains a topic of discussion. Sergi Roberto and Fermin Lopez, primarily, are the two most likely candidates who will fight it out to be the one to start in the Barcelona side that takes on Real Madrid. At the moment, however, the scales measure ever so slightly in the favor of the veteran.
With proven experience in El Clasico and against Real Madrid, the Barça captain could be the fourth man in the midfield. He would take on the role of Gavi from last year, with the youngster having put on a performance for the ages in last year’s Spanish Super Cup final. Fermin Lopez, however, does provide his own range of dynamic skills and abilities.
The main star of the show will undoubtedly be Pedri, however. His showcase against Osasuna in the semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup brought a great deal of joy to the club, and his return against Real Madrid is already highly anticipated.
