Hansi Flick insists Barcelona must focus on Real Madrid, not Kylian Mbappé, ahead of Super Cup final & more related news here

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick insists his team is focused on Real Madrid, not the possible return of Kylian Mbappé in Sunday’s Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia.

Mbappe, 27, missed Madrid’s semi-final win over Atlético Madrid in midweek with a knee injury, but has since flown to Jeddah and could feature in this weekend’s grand final.

The French forward has 29 goals this season in all competitions, in addition to scoring six goals in five Clásicos, although Flick highlighted that these games normally end with a victory for Barça.

“How many Clásicos have we played in the last year and a half?” Flick questioned at a press conference when asked if his team’s high defensive line could be tested by Mbappé.

“[We have played] five. We lost one, okay? So it’s about that. I know he’s a fantastic player and having space is really great, but also for us to compete against one of the best teams in the world.

“We will adapt as we always do, but it is not about Mbappé, it is about Madrid and how we want to play. We are focused on our philosophy, our idea of ​​how we want to play.

“We want to play like Barça and Barça’s style is different from Real Madrid.”

Pressed on Mbappé’s form this season, Flick added that there is no better leader in the world at the moment.

“Right now, Mbappé is the best striker, that’s how it is,” added the German coach. “He has scored many goals and is a world-class player.”

Mbappé got it right when Madrid beat Barça 2-1 in LaLiga earlier this season, ending a run of four consecutive Clásico wins for the Blaugrana under Flick.

That result left Madrid five points ahead of Barca at the top of the table, but there has been a nine-point swing since then, with the Catalan team currently four points clear at the top of LaLiga and on a run of nine consecutive wins.

“It was just a game,” Flick said of tasting a Clasico defeat for the first time in October.

“[Since then]we came back We have focused on what is necessary and we play much better and also with more success. This is the question.

“The team is very focused. I am happy with this situation at the moment. We want to play at our best level. I have a good feeling with my team. Tomorrow we have to show how good we are.”

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Sunday’s final will be the fourth consecutive meeting between Barça and Madrid at this point.

The Super Cup has recently proven to be a marker of what is to come in the second half of the season. The last four winners, Madrid (2022 and 2024) and Barça (2023 and 2025), subsequently also won LaLiga.

Barça won last year’s final 5-2 and not only comes into this year’s match with a streak of nine consecutive victories, but also without conceding a goal in the last five and with a squad almost in top form.

Long-term absentees Gavi and Andreas Christensen are the only confirmed absences, with Flick confirming that Lamine Yamal is ready to start after being fit enough to be on the bench in the 5-0 semi-final win over Athletic Club.