The Spanish Super Cup will say goodbye to overtime starting with its next edition. Like the Copa del Rey, the tournament organized by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) will define its matches directly with penalty shootouts in the event of a tie after the regulation 90 minutes. The measure was announced this Thursday in response to the clubs' demand for a fully loaded calendar.
According to the RFEF statement, the Delegated Commission approved the measure as established in the new Regulatory Bases and Competition Rules, which approves the elimination of extensions of the tournament "in both its men's and women's formats." In this way, starting with the next edition (to be held in January 2025), there will be no more extensions in either the 'semi' or the final of the competition that, since 2019, has been contested by the finalists of the Copa del Rey alongside the LaLiga champion and runner-up (or third place, if necessary).
The RFEF seeks to reduce the load of minutes in its competitions
With this resolution, the RFEF ratifies its willingness to reduce the number of minutes in its competitions, in the midst of an extremely complex calendar. This season, in addition to the Super Cup and the Copa del Rey, Spanish clubs must also play two days of European competitions (Champios and Europa League) at the end of the month, turning January into a true ordeal for the teams.
FC Barcelona, for example, could play up to nine games in January if it advances to the final of the Super Cup and the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. For now, the club has seven matches guaranteed (1 Cup, 1 Super Cup, 3 LaLiga and 2 Champions League) for the first month of 2025 in a period of just 24 days. A true madness that the RFEF has tried to stop by eliminating overtime in the Super Cup. In fact, in three of the last four games (2023 and 2024 editions) there were overtime and penalties in the tournament, which also involves a trip to Arabia.