The Dani Olmo registration row, Vinicius versus Lamine Yamal & the Liga title race - Why Real Madrid and Barcelona's latest Clasico is about so much more than the Spanish Super Cup

The mere presence of Barcelona and Real Madrid in the final would have attracted interest anyway. In terms of global appeal, the Clasico remains the biggest game in world football. However, these two teams met in the previous two Super Cup deciders and there wasn't anything like the same level of interest and tension surrounding those matches.

Why? Because this latest Clasico takes place against the backdrop of a bitter registration row that threatens to tear Spanish football apart.

For any football fan that may have somehow missed the news, Dani Olmo and Pau Victor have been cleared to face Madrid after the National Sports Council (CSD) effectively overruled both La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) by granting Barcelona permission to temporarily field both players while the legal dispute over their eligibility is ongoing.

Both La Liga and the RFEF have been left astounded by the ruling, the speed with which it was taken and the lack of consultation, while a number of clubs, including Atletico Madrid, Athletic Club and Las Palmas, have warned that "a worrying precedent has been set that could destabilise the foundations of professional football in this country".

The argument is basically that some clubs are more equal than others in Spain, with Athletic forward Inaki Williams stating "it looks like the rules are not the same for everyone" and club president Jon Uriarte going so far as to call the decision "grotesque".

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has been understandably reluctant to be drawn on the matter ("I have an opinion but I don't want to express it") but the club, as an enraged Liga chief Javier Tebas noted, have remained strangely silent.

While Barca president Joan Laporta celebrated Wednesday's CSD ruling wildly, allegedly kicking and punching furniture in the directors' box at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah while shouting "cowards", "disgraces" and "sons of b*tches" in the direction of RFEF officials, his Madrid counterpart Florentino Perez has yet to comment.

According to numerous media outlets in Spain, that's because Perez wanted Barca to win their appeal, because if they hadn't, Laporta would have likely been forced to resign - and that would have meant Madrid losing a key supporter of their ongoing attempts to create a European Super League (ESL).

All eyes, then, will be on Olmo on Sunday. Victor could also play but Olmo, as Barca's star summer signing, has always been the focus of this especially sorry affair and is far more likely to feature, even if there's no guarantee he'll start...

Gavi was excellent in a more advanced role in the 2-0 semi-final win over Athletic, scoring one goal and creating another, so it would be a surprise if he immediately made way for a returning player who hasn't seen a single minute of action for nearly a month - and has underperformed so far this season anyway.

Indeed, Olmo has done little to shake the belief that Barca really didn't need him - and not just from a financial perspective.

Since re-joining the club last summer from RB Leipzig for €55 million (£46m/$57m), Olmo has only been directly involved in seven goals - as many as Ferran Torres and Pablo Torre despite starting more games than both.

In that sense, this would be an opportune time for Olmo to prove he really was worth all the money - and the trouble.

Madrid have their own availability issues to worry about. After an undeniable dip in form for a significant chunk of 2024 (pretty much March to October), Jude Bellingham has looked back to his brilliant best over the past couple of months.

The multi-talented midfielder made the crucial breakthrough in Thursday's 3-0 semi-final win over Mallorca, meaning he's now netted nine times in his last 11 outings in all competitions.

With Bellingham back playing almost exclusively in his attacking midfield role, he's becoming the "leader of the team" he's always wanted to be.

The only issue is that Bellingham picked up a minor thigh strain against Mallorca and Ancelotti could well decide against risking one of his most important players on Sunday.

However, of greater concern to Ancelotti right now will be the mental state of Vinicius Junior.

The Brazilian, who reacted with embarrassing petulance to Rodri's deserved Ballon d'Or win, was sent off in his last Liga appearance after lashing out at Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski, and Ancelotti suggested afterwards that Vinicius is struggling to deal with being the target of incessant abuse (some of which is racially motivated).

"I'm not in his shoes but it can’t be easy to put up with everything that happens, the insults," the Italian said. "But he tries to improve, I think he has improved. He is obviously sad about the red, he apologised, but we have to look forward.

"What happens in the stadiums... I think he has improved his attitude a lot. You can continue to improve, but no one is perfect. He has improved so much that he is the best player in the world."

Nonetheless, Vinicius was involved in yet another ugly spat with Mallorca's Pablo Maffeo on Thursday - and the row continued in the tunnel during the half-time break.

Given the winger also clashed with Gavi during Madrid's shocking loss to Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu in October, it would not be in the least bit surprising to see Vinicius embroiled in further controversy on Sunday.

Back when Vinicius thought he was a shoo-in for the Ballon d'Or, he was completely upstaged by a teenager seemingly destined to become the best player in the world. Lamine Yamal was sensational in Barca's 4-0 win, capping a wonderful display with a fine finish, and there's every chance he could prove just as devastating and decisive in Jeddah.

It's certainly no coincidence that Barca's blip coincided with their young winger's injury issues towards the tail end of 2024 and he underlined his importance to Hansi Flick's side yet again in the win over Athletic by sealing victory with a wonderfully well-taken goal. The German will be hoping for something similar on Sunday, because this really does feel like an even bigger Clasico than usual for Barca, particularly in terms of a very tight Liga title race.

Remember, in-form Atletico weren't the only side to capitalise on the Catalans' rotten run of form before Christmas - Madrid have since moved to the top of the table with their dramatic January 3 win at Valencia despite seeing their defence decimated by injuries this season.

Consequently, poor form coupled with the fallout from their financial problems made it feel as if the wheels were coming off at Barca. Such a momentous Super Cup final, then, might just be coming at the right time for the Blaugrana. Olmo is back - we should find out if Barca are too.