The Vicente Calderon is a sea of red and blue, and in fine voice, as the two teams jog out of the tunnel. Handshakes done, coin toss done, huddles done. They're ready....

Diego Simeone could become only the second coach to lift the Supercopa with Atletico, after Luis Aragones.

Carlo Ancelotti could become the first Italian manager to win the Supercopa. Compatriot Claudio Ranieri lost in 2004 with Valencia.

Image source, PA

More interesting than Cristiano Ronaldo's absence from the Real Madrid starting XI is the omission of Angel Di Maria and Sami Khedira. Neither player is named on the bench by Carlo Ancelotti among fevered speculation they could be set for the Premier League.

Andrew: Real Madrid could have their work cut out for them tonight. Atletico have shown last season that they are no mugs, especially at home and they are very dangerous from set-pieces, an area that Real Madrid are weak in. Real will need to be at their best tonight in order to win.

John McEnerney, external: Atletico Madrid haven't replaced as well as they needed to, 3rd in La Liga & may sneak out of the group in Champions League can't see them doing much this year.

Shay, external: You are saying that it's late in Britain? Exactly 1:15am here in Pakistan. Yes, Real can - in fact they should - win the sextuple.

Image source, Azi Farni

BBC Sport's Azi Farni in Madrid: "Many fans outside the Calderon think the club will be OK without star striker Diego Costa. The most important thing for them is that manager Diego Simeone has stayed."

With all the hullabaloo surrounding the summer shopping sprees of Real Madrid and Barcelona - who have both been splashing the cash more extravagantly than a scorned wife let loose with her rich husband's credit card - it has been easy to forget that it is Atletico who are the reigning Spanish champions.

But they aren't the same team that they were last season. Top scorer Diego Costa - gone. La Liga's best goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois - gone. Marauding left-back Felipe Luis - gone.

"Atletico are the champions, but the players are not the same. We are in a different league to Barca and Real," admits pragmatic Atleti boss Diego Simeone.

Image source, EPA

"Cristiano Ronaldo is fine and is available. He could start." - Carlo Ancelotti told the media on Thursday.

Friday - Cristiano Ronaldo does not start for Real Madrid. The world player of the year, 29, suffered a back injury in Tuesday's first leg and, we presume, is only fit enough for the Calderon bench.

Atletico Madrid: Moya, Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Siqueira, Gabi, Tiago, Koke, R.Garcia, Griezmann, Mandzukic. Subs: Oblak, Ansaldi, Gimenez, Suarez, Rodriguez, Saul, Jimenez.

Real Madrid: Casillas, Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Coentrao, Xabi Alonso, Modric, Rodriguez, Bale, Kroos, Benzema. Subs: Keylor Navas, Pepe, Ronaldo, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Isco, Illarra.

Hola amigos! Welcome to live coverage of the all-Madrid Supercopa - Spain's equivalent of the Community Shield - which marks the start of their domestic season.

As you already know, this one is delicately balanced. Atletico have the benefit of an away goal but it could be a late one if extra-time and, gulp, penalties are needed to separate them and Real.

Luckily, most of you won't have an alarm clock set on Saturday morning.

Image source, Getty Images

Not if they are beaten by neighbours Atletico Madrid tonight, they can't.

Real's galaxy of superstars head across the Spanish capital to the Vicente Calderon, where hosts Atletico return with a handy 1-1 draw in their back pocket from Tuesday's first leg after Raul Garcia's late equaliser.

Handy because Diego Simeone's were almost unstoppable on home turf last season. In 30 matches, only one team managed to beat them at the Vicente Calderon. The team? Real Madrid.

Image source, Getty Images

One down, five to go.

Real Madrid are a club used to winning silverware - as anyone who has wandered around the Bernabeu's cavernous trophy room can testify. I've been in smaller semi-detached houses.

This season, they have already lifted one more chunky piece of metal, the Uefa Super Cup, and tonight could get their mitts on another.

Victory in the Spanish Super Copa would hand a second trophy to Carlo Ancelotti and his merry men - and that's even before they start their La Liga, Champions League, Copa Del Rey and Club World Cup campaigns. Madrid's can't do the sextuple. Can they?