Atletico Madrid 0-0 (1-4 on pens) Real Madrid
Real Madrid lifted the Spain Super Cup in Saudi Arabia tonight thanks to a 4-1 penalty shootout win after the Madrid giants cancelled each other out for 120 minutes.
Sergio Ramos fired home the winning spot-kick to give Zinedine Zidane his first trophy since his return as head coach.
Both teams came into the match on a superb run of form, Atleti having won the last five in all competitions and the big Spain Super Cup 2020 news so far has been Diego Simeone’s side’s stunning fightback to beat Barcelona. But despite having the better of much of this game they couldn’t break down the Los Blancos defence and fell at the final hurdle.
Highlights of the game
Real Madrid started brightly and Casemiro tried to curl one in with his left foot, but Jan Oblak had plenty of time to see it and saved comfortably. And the Atletico keeper was called into action again when Luka Modric hit a scorching drive from the edge of the box but straight at Oblak.
The best chance of the first half came to Los Rojiblancos, and it was a slip up by Sergio Ramos. The Real skipper gave the ball to Joao Felix some 20 yards out and he had a free shot at goal, but mis-hit his effort wide.
Atletico had a good passage of play towards the end of the first half and Angel Correa had a shot charged down, as did Felix, and then Saul tried an overhead kick but it landed in the arms of the grateful Thibaut Courtois.
With both Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema missing from the Real Madrid front line a lot was resting on the shoulders of Luka Jovic, and when Casemiro sent him on his way he ran from his own penalty area the full length of the pitch but Jose Gimenez managed to clear for a corner before he pulled the trigger. Then the big Serb beat Kieran Tripper and hit a low skidding shot which flew just past Oblak’s left-hand post.
With a quarter of the game remaining, Federico Valverde had a glorious chance to score for Los Blancos when Jovic sent in a perfect cross, but with the goal at his mercy he headed the ball down onto his knee!
Extra time was looming when Alvaro Morata had a decent chance for Atleti but Courtois got down well to push his effort away for a corner.
Extra Time
Both sides had early chances in added time with Real’s Mendy trying to curl a shot in from distance, but Oblak watched it sail past the post. At the other end, Vitolo got a shot away but Courtois saved well from a tight angle, and when Correa floated over a lovely ball Gimenez planted his header wide.
Courtois got a foot to a Morata effort and his opposite number made a double save from Modric and Mariano. Atleti came close again when Courtois parried an effort from Correa.
Penalties
Los Blancos drew first blood in the shootout when Atleti’s Saul hit the post with his team’s first spot-kick. And it was double delight for Real when Courtois saved Thomas Partey’s effort.
Modric made it 3-0 to Zidane’s team before Trippier got Atleti going, but even the former Burnley and Spurs wing-back knew it was to be in vain when Sergio Ramos stepped up to slide home the winner.
Key statistics
The Spain Super Cup 2020 betting odds had the draw at 3.20, but both sides gave all they could to break the deadlock only to find each defence unbeatable.
Real were rampant in a recent 0-3 away win at Getafe and Atleti had been in fine form, putting three past Barca last week, but neither could score in 120 minutes.
Los Blancos won’t mind that one bit; they’ve won the Supercopa for the 11th time and are unbeaten in 16 in all competitions, while their head coach, ZZ, has picked up his tenth trophy as Real Madrid boss.
What’s next?
Los Blancos have a big three weeks ahead in La Liga with a home match against Sevilla and then a trip to play Real Valladolid, and then there’s a repeat of tonight’s clash at the Santiago Bernabeu when Atleti visit for another Madrid derby. Here at SBOBET we’ll be previewing and reporting on the next chapter of this epic battle.
Both Atleti and Sevilla are still in the title hunt, five points behind Real and Barca at the summit of the La Liga table and they will both give Los Blancos a severe test.
Before they meet their old foes again Los Rojiblancos have an away game against Eibar and then a home clash with strugglers Leganes. Both are in a relegation battle and Atleti will hope to make it five league wins on the bounce.
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