Barcelona arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday night as they prepare for their Spanish Supercup semi-final with Athletic Club on Wednesday night. Their gaze may already be straying to the final on Sunday evening though.

The Blaugrana are coming off a 9th straight win in La Liga, a firm response to their defeat in El Clasico at the Bernabeu. It has seen the Catalans take a four-point advantage, having been five points behind Real Madrid at the time. Sport say that confidence is sky-high in the dressing room, as the players were desperate to win in the Catalan derby against Espanyol.

The feeling amongst the players is that there is a growing resilience within the squad, and that they believe they are capable of battling through adversity. While there is an acknowledgement that they have been defensively fragile, the Barcelona players feel a growing excitement from the fanbase that they can go on to win titles.

Added motivation for the Spanish Supercup

El Clasico is always a highly charged occasion, but the Catalan daily say that the prospect of potentially facing Los Blancos in the final on Sunday carries extra weight within some sections of the dressing room. With Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso under pressure at the Bernabeu, the possibility of potentially bringing the guillotine down on his tenure is an added motivation for the players.

🚨 JUST IN: Hansi Flick approved the signing of João Cancelo for several reasons:

• It increases depth on the flanks
• He offers exceptional versatility
• He’s an experienced player with a proven level of performance
• He recognized the circumstances, aware that signing a…

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 5, 2026

Xabi Alonso’s job security at Real Madrid

Real Madrid are currently on a four-game winning streak of their own, which has eased pressure on Alonso of late. Their win over Real Betis was impressive for long spells, and comfortable for the most part, but there is little doubt that performances have not been up to standard in any consistent fashion. The latest is that what happens in the Supercup could be decisive for his future, with derby clashes against Atletico Madrid, and if they are successful, Barcelona, providing stiff tests to pass.