Xabi Alonso has revealed frustration at the timing of Kylian Mbappe's substitution during Sunday's Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona. The Real Madrid star was named on the bench in Jeddah, having earlier in the week flown in for the final.

All eyes will be on the second El Clasico of the season on January 11, with Real Madrid and Barcelona battling it out for the first piece of silverware in 2026.

BARCELONA star Frenkie de Jong “lost his head” after crunching into Kylian Mbappe and getting sent off. De Jong, 28, saw red in the closing stages of the Spanish Super Cup final

The road toward this year’s World Cup is already sharpening old rivalries and creating new storylines, and few feel as symbolic as the looming clash between Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.

The last four winners of the Supercopa de España have then gone on to win LaLiga at the end of the season, so while Barcelona have a four-point lead domestically, Real Madrid triumphing on Sunday could deal a psychological blow to Hansi Flick's side.