Real Madrid to face Barcelona in the 2025 Spanish Super Cup Final this Sunday. Ahead of the clash, a Carlo Ancelotti player is raising concerns among Madrid fans, who would prefer not to see him on the pitch.

Soundly defeated by Barça on October 26 during the first leg of the Spanish top-flight league, Real Madrid will aim to exact revenge this Sunday in Saudi Arabia. While this payback was initially scheduled for May 11 (the date of the return leg in La Liga), the 2025 Spanish Super Cup has brought the showdown forward. If Madrid want to prove that their 4-0 rout at the Bernabéu in October was merely an avoidable mishap, the Catalans will be eager to assert their dominance and avenge their defeat in last year’s Super Cup final (4-1).

Ferland Mendy: The player to sideline?

For this high-stakes match, social media is ablaze. As fans await the on-pitch duel, supporters of both clubs are already sparring online. In this heated build-up, which highlights the significance of this Clasico, described by Carlo Ancelotti as crucial for the remainder of the season and especially for Champions League aspirations, some Madrid fans have voiced concerns about one player: Ferland Mendy. Still stinging from the left-back’s catastrophic performance in the last Clasico defeat, many Madrid supporters are hoping for changes on Sunday.

Starting in Thursday’s semi-final against Mallorca, Ferland Mendy failed to inspire confidence. To maximise Real Madrid’s chances on Sunday, some fans are urging Carlo Ancelotti to deploy Eduardo Camavinga on the left flank to counter Barça’s prodigious talent, Lamine Yamal. While this could prove a shrewd move given Camavinga’s strong showings in the role whenever called upon, this strategy is unlikely to materialise.

Potential Real Madrid strategies for the final

In this latest Clasico, which doubles as the 2025 Spanish Super Cup Final, Carlo Ancelotti is expected to pair Aurélien Tchouaméni and Antonio Rüdiger at centre-back. Despite impressive displays from young Raúl Asencio, the Madrid coach is unlikely to disrupt his plan for this critical match. If Tchouaméni starts in defence, Camavinga will likely take the defensive midfield role (the 6), meaning Ferland Mendy will almost certainly retain his spot on the left, with Lucas Vázquez on the right.

In midfield, Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham are guaranteed starters, while a decision will need to be made between Luka Modric and Dani Ceballos if a 4-3-3 formation is employed. Should Ancelotti opt for a four-man midfield, Camavinga could move to left-back, displacing Mendy, and Tchouaméni would take the 6 behind Ceballos, Bellingham, or Valverde. However, if Mendy starts this Clasico – a prospect that unsettles some Madrid supporters – Camavinga would likely remain in the midfield pivot role.

Regardless, Carlo Ancelotti will face heavy criticism if things go awry and Ferland Mendy delivers another poor performance. Speaking at Saturday’s pre-match press conference, the Italian coach assured that every effort had been made to prevent a repeat of the October 26 mistakes. “I’m aware that anything can happen in football, especially against such a formidable opponent. A loss wouldn’t be ideal, but the team is moving forward. We’ve improved since that match, and no one can deny that,” he told Marca.