Real Madrid and Barcelona part of La Liga quartet to play in Saudi Arabia in 2020

Stars from Real Madrid and Barcelona, such as Eden Hazard and Lionel Messi, will be in the Kingdom for the Super Spanish tournament in January 2020. (AFP)
Updated 11 November 2019
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Real Madrid and Barcelona part of La Liga quartet to play in Saudi Arabia in 2020

  • The Kingdom has previously hosted the Italian Super Cup final
  • Tournament was part of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to host major global sporting events

RIYADH: La Liga giants Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Valencia will play in a new four-way Spanish Super Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia next year.

A tweet on Monday from Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi General Sports Authority, confirmed the participation of the teams in a “Super Spanish” tournament, slated to take place between Jan. 8-12. The Spanish Football Federation gave Saudi Arabia a three-year deal on Monday.

The prince said the tournament was part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to host major global sporting events.

The Spanish Super Cup was previously a one-off match between the Liga and Copa del Rey champions at the start of the season. But the federation has changed it to semifinals and final featuring four teams — the top teams in each competition — in the middle of the season.

Real Madrid will face Copa del Rey holder Valencia in the first semifinal on Jan. 8 at King Abdullah Sports City stadium outside Jeddah, then Liga champion Barcelona plays Atletico Madrid in the second semi the next day at the same venue.

The final will be on Jan. 12. Barcelona won last year's Super Cup in Morocco.

The Kingdom previously hosted the Italian Super Cup final in 2018 and will do so again in December this year. 

Saudi Arabia also hosted the "Super Clasico" clash between Brazil and Argentina in 2018, with Miranda scoring a late winning goal at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah.


Sudan beat Equatorial Guinea for rare AFCON win

Updated 16 sec ago
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Sudan beat Equatorial Guinea for rare AFCON win

  • Unlucky Torino center-back Coco saw the ball come off him and ricochet into the net in the 74th minute

CASABLANCA: Sudan boosted their chances of qualifying for the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations after a Saul Coco own goal gave them a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.

Unlucky Torino center-back Coco saw the ball come off him and ricochet into the net in the 74th minute in Casablanca when his teammate Luis Asue attempted to clear a Sudan free-kick.

Sudan won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1970 but this is just their second victory in 18 matches across six appearances at the tournament since then.

They lie 117th in the FIFA world rankings, compared to Equatorial Guinea in 97th.

The win leaves Kwesi Appiah’s team on three points from two games in Group E, while Equatorial Guinea have lost both matches so far.

Sudan are competing at this AFCON in Morocco despite the country having been devastated since war broke out between the army and rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023.

They will play Burkina Faso in their last group game on Wednesday and will be aiming to reach the knockout stages of the Cup of Nations for just the second time since that 1970 triumph — they got to the quarter-finals in 2012 before losing to eventual winners Zambia.