Atletico Madrid hunt Super Cup final berth as Real Madrid head to Jeddah short-handed | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid meet in Jeddah on Thursday night with a place in the Spanish Super Cup final at stake.

It is another chapter in a rivalry that rarely needs extra motivation, especially in a knockout setting on neutral ground.

Atletico travel to Saudi Arabia unbeaten in five matches in all competitions, although Sunday’s 1-1 draw away to Real Sociedad slightly disrupted their momentum.

Alexander Sorloth’s opener was quickly cancelled out, leaving Diego Simeone’s side frustrated after a game in which they created enough to win.

That result effectively ended any lingering La Liga title hopes and placed added importance on cup competitions for the remainder of the season.

The Super Cup represents a genuine opportunity for silverware for an Atletico side without a trophy since their 2020-21 league triumph.

Simeone’s team have been intense and aggressive in recent weeks, qualities that tend to surface naturally in games of this magnitude.

They will also draw confidence from their most recent derby meeting, having beaten Madrid emphatically earlier in the season.

That performance underlined Atletico’s ability to hurt their rivals when their pressing and transitions function at full speed.

However, small lapses have crept into recent displays, and Madrid are typically ruthless at exploiting even brief moments of weakness.

Madrid arrive on the back of four consecutive victories, easing pressure on manager Xabi Alonso after a turbulent spell earlier in the campaign.

Sunday’s 5-1 demolition of Real Betis was particularly significant given Kylian Mbappe’s absence.

Gonzalo Garcia’s hat-trick ensured Madrid barely missed their talisman, offering further evidence of the squad’s depth.

That result kept them within touching distance of Barcelona in La Liga and reinforced belief ahead of this semi-final.

Madrid’s recent Super Cup record is formidable, having reached the final in all but one edition of the expanded format.

They have also lifted the trophy three times since the competition moved to a four-team structure.

Despite that pedigree, recent derbies have been tight, with Madrid struggling to dominate Atletico over 90 minutes.

Clean sheets have been rare in this fixture, and margins are usually slim.

Mbappe remains a doubt for this clash, although Madrid will be encouraged by how effectively they functioned without him.

With both teams in good form and fully aware of each other’s strengths, this semi-final promises to be a tense and finely balanced contest.