Real Madrid Have Bigger Incentive To Win Spanish Super Cup In January

Real Madrid will hope to continue their good start to 2026 after their 5-1 win over Real Betis in La Liga. They face city rivals Atletico Madrid on Thursday, January 6, in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final.

The winner will face either Barcelona or Athletic Club in the final on Sunday, January 11. It's the first domestic silverware of the season in Spain, so it's a big deal for the team that can lift the trophy.

For Real Madrid, it feels really significant. After a bad run of form during November and December in 2025, there were plenty of questions. A trophy in early January would help, but it would be the same for both Atletico Madrid and Athletic Club, who are also struggling.

According to Marca, the tournament's prize money has increased, providing an additional incentive for Real Madrid and others to win it. Last year, the prize pot was around €19.6 million; this year, it will increase to around €23 million. The money will be divided between the four teams, but expect the top two teams to net more money with titles won, history & TV viewership determining who gets bigger cuts. The winner will also get more.

In 2025, Real Madrid and Barcelona received $6 million each, Athletic Club £2 million, and Mallorca $850,000. In addition, the semi-finalists received $1 million, and the champion received an additional $2 million. It came under heavy criticism, with Athletic Club representatives asking for more equal pay.

Spanish Super Cup feels important for Xabi Alonso

Real Madrid lost the Spanish Super Cup final last season to Barcelona and went the full 2024-25 season without a domestic trophy. After a great start to the 2025-26 season under Xabi Alonso, it has soured with a bad run of games, putting them four points behind rivals Barcelona in the league.

Despite three wins to close out 2025 and the emphatic win over Betis, there are still plenty of questions regarding the future of Alonso. Adding the Supercopa de España trophy in his first season would be a good start and would reduce the negativity. The fans will expect more, but beating SAtyletico and possibly Barcelona in the final would mend some bridges with the media and fans.

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