JEDDAH: NEOM has been named as the main partner of the Spanish Super Cup, while the Red Sea Development Company will be the main tournament sponsor. The event, which is being held in Saudi Arabia for the second time, runs from Jan. 12 to 16.
The announcements were made on Wednesday by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Sport. The four teams competing in the event are Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, respectively La Liga champions and runners-up, and Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, respectively the winners and runners-up of the Copa del Rey.
The Super Cup is returning to Saudi Arabia, this time in the capital Riyadh, two years after it was hosted by Jeddah. Real Madrid and Barcelona will meet in the semi-finals next month, marking the first time “El Clasico” has been played in the Kingdom.
Madrid fans will be hoping for a repeat of the 2-1 victory over their great rivals at the Camp Nou in October. This time it will be Xavi Hernandez in the Barca dugout in place of Ronald Koeman, who was sacked shortly after that home defeat two months ago.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid will take on a struggling Athletic Bilbao in the other Super Cup semi-final.
Real Madrid won the first staging of the competition in the Kingdom, in January 2020, which ended with Los Blancos winning on penalties in the final against city rivals Atletico.
