COLUMN: Introducing the ‘ClasiCopa’ – a solution to the Supercup

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The efforts to make the Supercopa de Espana extra “inclusive” and “higher for everything of Spanish soccer” by together with the runners-up in LaLiga and the Copa del Rey… resulted in Actual Madrid and Barcelona contesting the season’s first trophy in Saudi Arabia as soon as extra.

The expanded Supercopa, first performed in 2020, bought off to a bumpy begin for the organizers when the Clasico sides have been unable to satisfy within the last till 2023. Within the first three seasons of the competitors that was reorganised underneath Luis Rubiales’ watchthe one time Barcelona and Actual Madrid performed each other was within the semifinals was the 2022 version.

However this main oversight has been swiftly corrected. For the fourth successive season, Madrid and Barca met within the last at Alinma Financial institution Stadium in Jeddah, the place the Blaugrana received the season’s second Clasico and their sixteenth Supercopa title.

As Marca’s Sunday morning entrance web page identified, the Tremendous Cup winner since 2020 all the time has gone on to win the league (it doesn’t embrace Athletic’s 2021 win, as that version was held in Spain). This can be a useful window into the Supercopa’s sole worth now, since Athletic are the one non-Clasico facet to win the trophy previously 11 years. It’s merely a measuring stick for Barca and Madrid, whose stakes are the one stakes price realizing.

(By the best way, zoom out additional and also you’ll see that one Clasico facet or the opposite has received LaLiga 35 instances previously 41 years. This season will likely make it 36 out of 42.)

The Supercopa has existed in varied varieties since 1940. It morphed into the Copa Eva Duarte between 1947 and 1953 earlier than it went on hiatus till 1982. That yr, reigning league champions Actual Sociedad defeated Copa del Rey winners Madrid 4-1 over a two-legged tie. Athletic received it routinely in 1984 after conquering a league-cup double; between 1995 and 2004, Deportivo La Coruna received it thrice, a interval that additionally included wins for Mallorca, Valencia and Zaragoza.

Now although, the Supercopa is not more than a dangerous jokea nasty joke, virtually a title that’s ‘off-limits’ to the non-Clasico groups as Barca and Actual Madrid have consolidated their energy within the period of Javier Tebas’ monetary controls.

Like, do you not see how offensive that is? Inform me that this wasn’t predestined or predetermined.

SuperFinal.SuperClásico.SuperDomingo.#superSupercopa pic.twitter.com/tthHAFk4Uy

— RFEF (@rfef) January 10, 2026

With this in thoughts, I’ve a radical proposal for RFEF and its president Rafael Louzan: the Supercopa de Espana ought to morph once more.

It’s time to get rid of that pesky phantasm of “equity” and “equal competitors” they’ve propagated since increasing the Supercopa. It’s an insult to Atletico Madrid and Athletic Membership, two historic establishments, to obtain underneath €3 million mixed when Actual Madrid alone will take dwelling greater than twice that quantity. Athletic by no means had an opportunity of their 5-0 semi-final loss to Barca; Atletico performed properly, in a shedding recreation state, towards Actual Madrid, however Los Blancos scored the opening aim from a dubiously-awarded free kick that set them on their approach inside 76 seconds.

No, as a substitute, that is what I believe ought to occur, to avoid wasting everybody else, followers from all the opposite sides in LaLiga, the time and aggravation and journey bills (in the event that they apply): Simply have Actual Madrid and Barcelona contest the Supercup every season. All of the frills they will deal with, no bills spared – and positively no different groups invited.

Barcelona’s dominance in Supercopa finals continues as they win three of the final 4 towards Actual Madrid 🔵🔴🔥 pic.twitter.com/4SRSHmLMXy

— OneFootball (@OneFootball) January 11, 2026

Maintain it in Qatar subsequent January, and for each January in perpetuity. Possibly a rebrand is so as, one that actually captures the exhibitional nature of this fixture, held a mere six-hour flight from Madrid. We’ll name it the ClasiCopa.

Sunday’s last, a 3-2 thriller, may be thought of the primary version. It featured three targets scored in first half stoppage time. It featured a game-winning brace from Raphinha. The depth was palpable: 28 mixed shot makes an attempt, six yellow playing cards, a controversial late crimson to Frenkie de Jong, a dramatic second-half look from the bench for Kylian Mbappe, and a last-minute save off the road from Joan Garcia to protect the trophy.

Who’s going to complain if that occurs yearly? Nobody has but, and the Clasico sides definitely received’t! One among them will get €8 million for profitable this “event”; each will take dwelling at the least €6m! The cash is pocket change for them, however – for the sake of an instance or three – it could change Getafe, Sevilla or Valencia institutionally.

See, there are two leagues inside La Liga: one among survival for many, and one among opulence for valuable few. Give me a motive that the Federation shouldn’t nakedly embrace the regressive, deeply-ingrained feeling they’ve that the 2 Clasico golf equipment are essentially the most highly effective, essentially the most clever, essentially the most superior – past being the most important money-makers in a league the place half the groups are inside 5 factors of relegation, and the place it’s turning into extra doubtless that they’ll lose a fifth Champions League place in 2026/27!

Louzan and firm certainly beloved the manufactured drama behind Mbappe’s availability for the ultimate and his farcical “will he or received’t he” weekend flight to Saudi Arabia. Why not lean even tougher into the spectacle for spectacle’s sake, and the related faux-pageantry they so disingenuously have dressed up as a ‘simply’ four-team event?

In any case, that is the local weather that Spanish soccer has created, over a few years of branding itself as ‘the league of Barcelona and Actual Madrid.’ The individuals accountable may as properly overtly experience it with out concern of reprisal – and with out disparaging the remainder of us by portray the Supercopa as one thing it’s not.