Quest for the elusive Spanish Super Cup

FC Barcelona begin another Spanish Super Cup quest on Thursday, a competition that they have yet to win since the introduction of the four-team format. The last time the club lifted the trophy was in Morocco in 2018/19, when they beat in a single game.

But despite disappointments in recent years, Barça is still the side that has won the most editions of the competition, 13 in all.

Previous wins

It's time for Barça to get back a trophy that they have typically won at least once every two or three years:

1983 v Athletic Club
1991 v Atlético Madrid
1992 v Atlético Madrid
1994 v Real Zaragoza
1996 v Atlético Madrid
2005 v Real Betis
2006 v Espanyol
2009 v Athletic Club
2010 v Sevilla
2011 v Real Madrid
2013 v Atlético Madrid
2016 v Sevilla
2018 v Sevilla

Ernesto Valverde was the last coach to lead Barça to victory in 2018, and before that Luis Enrique in 2016 and Tito Vilanova in 2013 were also victorious. Pep Guardiola managed Barça to three consecutive Super Cup titles, and Frank Rijkaard was in charge for back-to-back wins a few years previously.

Barça's longest streak without winning the Super Cup was eight years from 1997 to 2004.

Teams to beat

To win the Super Cup for the fourteenth time, Barça's first challenge will be to beat Real Betis, a side that has never won the competition before. The nearest the green-and-whites ever came was 2005, when they lost to Barça.

Should they reach the final, they will face either Real Madrid or Valencia. Madrid are the defending champions hand have won three of the last five editions, and another victory in 2023 would match Barça's all-time record of 13.

Valencia have only won the Super Cup once before, which they achieved by beating Barça in 1999.