Real Madrid has 3-game home run to rebound from Barcelona loss in Super Cup final

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This article was published 13/01/2025 (625 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid hopes some home comfort will help the team get over yet another embarrassing loss to Barcelona.

After losing 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, Madrid has a run of three home games over seven days.

The home run begins on Thursday against Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey last 16. Las Palmas visits on Sunday in La Liga then Salzburg on Jan. 22 in the Champions League.

“We are sad and disappointed,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We have no option but to look forward and try to regain the good momentum that we had until this match against Barcelona.”

Madrid won five in a row across all competitions before the latest Barcelona loss. The Catalan side also routed Madrid 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu in October in La Liga.

“We have to stick together, be a team and react the same as we did after losing to them in La Liga,” Madrid midfielder Luka Modric said. “We showed a reaction and I hope we will react to this tough defeat, because we didn’t think we would lose like this. It’s good that the Copa game is coming up soon and we won’t have much time for regrets.

“It’s not nice to see your greatest rival score nine goals in two matches. But I’m sure that we are going to recover. We need to remain united and keep working hard. We are still going to give our fans a lot of reason to celebrate. It’s a long season.”

Madrid is second at the halfway point in the Spanish league, one point behind city rival Atletico Madrid and five points ahead of third-placed Barcelona. In the Champions League, Madrid is 20th in the 36-team league phase of the competition.

Ancelotti won’t count on forward Vinícius Júnior for the Liga game against Las Palmas because of a red-card suspension. The club’s appeal of the player’s two-game suspension was denied on Monday.

Ancelotti will also have to worry about fixing his depleted defense, which struggled mightily to contain Barcelona’s attack on Sunday.

“We didn’t defend well, that hurt us,” Ancelotti said. “They scored easily.”

The absence of players such as Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal because of injuries has forced the coach to improvise, especially in the right back position, and prompted the club to likely contemplate making new signings in this transfer window.

Copa del Rey matches

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Barcelona follows the Super Cup by hosting Real Betis on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey last 16. Hansi Flick’s squad has won three in a row this year after losing its last two in 2024.

Also on Wednesday, red-hot Atletico visits second-division club Elche looking to extend its 14-game winning streak in all competitions, already a club record.

Defending Copa champion Athletic Bilbao hosts Osasuna on Thursday, while Rao Vallecano visits Real Sociedad.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer