SPANISH SUPER CUP
How many times has Barcelona won the Spanish Super Cup?
The Catalans, who hold the record for triumphs in this competition, begin their defence of the title against Osasuna on Thursday.
In July 1982, just days after Dino Zoff had hoisted the World Cup aloft in Madrid, the Spanish Football Federation agreed to revive an old competition that pitted the league champions against the Cup winners. During the first general assembly since Spain had hosted the World Cup, RFEF president Pablo Porta and the presidents of 19 territorial federations voted in favour of organizing a new tournament, based on the Copa Eva Duarte which ran for seven editions between 1946 and 1953. The Supercopa was born, with the inaugural edition taking place that October.
Barcelona’s Super Cup record
No club has contested or won the Spanish Super Cup more than Barcelona. The Catalans lifted the trophy for the first time in 1983 during the second edition - qualifying as champions of the previous season’s Copa del Rey. César Luis Menotti’s Barça beat the defending league champions Athletic Club over two legs back when the tournament was played whenever the RFEF could find a free slot during the autumn/winter months.
Since then, Barcelona have played in a total of 25 Super Cup finals and won the trophy 14 times - more than anyone else. Their nearest rivals in the tournament are, unsurprisingly, Real Madrid who have amassed 12 titles and taken part in 18 finals. Both are the only two clubs to have won the Super Cup three times in a row - Madrid in 1989-91 and Barça in 2010-12, during the epic clashes of the Guardiola-Mourinho, Cristiano-Messi era.
Madrid have the edge in direct clashes
Interestingly, Barça have met Madrid eight times in the final but won just two of those ties - in 2011-12 and last year’s - under the new format, a single game rather than a two-legged final.