Barcelona players wanted Real Madrid in Super Cup final, eager for revenge | OneFootball

FC Barcelona absolutely steamrolled Athletic Club on their way to the Spanish Super Cup final, beating the Basque club 5-0 in the semifinal.

The Blaugrana will now lock horns with bitter rivals Real Madrid in the final after Xabi Alonso’s side defeated Atletico Madrid in the second semifinal clash on Thursday.

Barcelona squad wanted Real Madrid in the final

Now, according to Javi Miguel of AS, the Barcelona players wanted to face Real Madrid in the final, and as such, last night’s derby result was well-received by the squad.

Although many players did not openly state a preference between Real Madrid and Atletico as opponents for the final before the match, the Blaugrana wanted an El Clasico showdown in Jeddah.

As per the report, there is a great desire for revenge in the Barça camp after the 2-1 defeat suffered at the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga earlier in the season.

Real Madrid beat Barcelona in the first Clasico of the season. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Most of the players watched the semifinal in their hotel rooms, with some choosing to watch together, as did members of the coaching staff.

And the general feeling across the Barça delegation in Saudi Arabia after seeing Real Madrid qualify is that of satisfaction as they are eager for revenge.

This will be Hansi Flick’s sixth Clasico, with Barça dominating the head-to-head record under the German: four wins and one defeat. One of those victories came in last season’s Super Cup final, when the Catalans won 5-2.

There is also no doubt that Barcelona arrive in the finals on a strong run of form. As such, within the squad, there is a strong desire to put right the last defeat against Real Madrid.

There is a sense among the players that the setting could hardly be better. The first trophy of the season is at stake, and they face a Real Madrid side surrounded by doubts and uncertainty in their play.