Real Madrid wins the Spanish Super Cup by defeating Athletic Bilbao.
Real Madrid won thanks to Luka Modric’s fantastic finish near the conclusion of the first half and Karim Benzema’s score early in the second.
Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday, defeating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 in Saudi Arabia, thanks to goals from Luka Modric and a Karim Benzema penalty. Madrid won their first prize during Carlo Ancelotti’s second tenure as coach, thanks to Modric’s beautiful finish near the end of the first half and Benzema’s score early in the second. Athletic had defeated La Liga winners Atletico Madrid to reach the final, but were soundly defeated by a slick, well-organized Real Madrid side at the King Fahd Stadium, which has now lost only once in 20 matches.
They had a chance in the 87th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Eder Militao was sent off, but Raul Garcia missed the opportunity and Madrid’s victory was assured.
Ancelotti’s side will meet Elche in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on Wednesday and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16 next month.
They are five points clear at the top of the table in La Liga.
“It’s an impulse to keep going,” Ancelotti explained. “We don’t have much time to contemplate because there’s another competition coming up,” says the team.
Modric’s good form continued as he scored the game’s first goal, making him the oldest goalscorer in Spanish Super Cup history at 36 years old.
Meanwhile, Marcelo, 33, came in for the final few minutes before lifting his 23rd title at Real Madrid, tying Paco Gento for the most trophies won by a player in the club’s history.
“He’s one of the greats, a legend of this club,” said Florentino Perez, the president of Real Madrid.
Ancelotti now has five trophies as Real Madrid coach, after winning the Copa del Rey, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup during his first stint.
The Spanish Super Cup stayed in Spain in 2021 because of the pandemic but has returned to Saudi Arabia as part of an agreement until 2029 that will earn the Spanish football federation around 30 million euros a year.
Objections from players and coaches have been noticeably muted but Athletic Bilbao’s Raul Garcia spoke out last week. He said moving a Spanish tournament 7,000 kilometres away was symptomatic of the authorities “forgetting the basics of football”.
Criticism has been more forthright from human rights groups like Amnesty International, who have accused the federation of failing to support “harassed and persecuted women in Saudi Arabia” and of collaborating in Saudi “image-washing”.
Athletic’s Inaki Williams and Oihan Sancet looked dangerous early on, with Williams wanting a penalty when the ball struck the sliding David Alaba on the hand but referee Cesar Soto was not interested.
Despite Vinicius Junior’s imperious form in recent weeks, Madrid’s greatest threat came down the opposite side, through Rodrygo.
The first warning came when Kroos pinged the ball out to the Brazilian, who dropped it inside for Benzema and the striker’s curling shot flew just wide of Unai Simon’s far post.
The opener took a similar route, even if it started with Thibaut Courtois, who played out to Toni Kroos. Under pressure, Kroos found Casemiro and the ball shuffled along, through Modric and out right.
Rodrygo drove past two Athletic defenders afraid to challenge in the box and by the time Dani Garcia slid to block, it was too late, Rodrygo toeing the ball inside to Modric, who whipped the ball first time into the corner.
Seven minutes into the second half, it was two, as Yeray Alvarez leapt to block Benzema”s shot, stopping the ball with his outstretched right arm. The referee checked the monitor and gave the penalty, which Benzema fired left and in.
Athletic’s only ray of hope came in the 87th minute, when Militao was sent out for blocking another Raul Garcia header towards goal, and Athletic were awarded a penalty kick. Raul Garcia, on the other hand, missed, his drive down the middle being met by Courtois’ left foot.
Source: https://bit.ly/3GA7p2j
