Real Madrid tames Athletic and offers its twelfth Supercup

Goals: Modrić (38^{e) and Benzema (52e SP) for the Merengues
Expulsion: Militão (87e) for the Merengues}

Relocated again in Saudi Arabia for obvious philanthropic reasons, this time at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, the Spanish Super Cup final did not see Athletic Club achieve a knockdown or a double after their triumph against Barca last year. On the other hand, about thirty days before facing Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Real Madrid went to glean their twelfth Supercopa (2-0) – and his first title of the season – without being really destabilized beyond measure.

Leather interior, Modrić exterior

By camping in the half of the field of the Basques then quickly around the cage of Unai Simón, the Madrid residents have proposed to leave nothing to chance. However, at the heart of a start without real downtime, it was on the other side of the field that the first game happened: after lying down to block the way for Iñaki Williams in his area, David Alaba touches the leather of the arm while turning around (11^e). penalty? No, not even a VAR review according to referee Cesar Soto Grado. A strangeness to which the ^{Meringue respond by skipping the second. First, Karim Benzema, standing still, sends a brush shot (18e). Then, Éder Militão fails to sanction the hazardous exit of Simón (27e). Despite two saving interventions on a vicious shot and a helmet shot from Casemiro (28
e) to maintain the reprieve, the holder of the Roja can do nothing in front of the craftiness of Luka Modrić. Shifted by Rodrygo, author of a breakthrough that sucks up three defenders, the 2018 Golden Ball prints the necessary effect at the edge of the Basque surface to slam his first goal of the season in all competitions (1- 0.38e). A pawn once again “lost” between the divine arabesques of the Croatian technician, to the delight of neutral spectators.Courteous, always}

The thrill caused by the very fit Oihan Sancet, on an inside-outside sequence and a rolled up right (45^{e) before the intermission, will remain a dead letter . And for good reason: despite a second act marked by the omnipresence of Raúl García in the sixteen meters of the White House, Athletic Club will never return to the game. After deflecting the leather of the elbow, Yeray Álvarez in spite of himself gives the break point to Benzema who does not need to be asked to plant his 303 e caramel with the immaculate tunic of Real Madrid from the penalty spot. With two-man catches and always a defender to close the door to the Bilbayens, Ancelotti’s troops locked their advantage to the end. Militão may be sent off for yet another mimin in the area, Thibaut Courtois diverts Raúl García’s penalty and continues his boss-sized season (89 e). Who can put a spoke in the wheels of these Meringues-the ?}

Real Madrid (4-3-3): Courtesy – L. Vázquez , Militão, Alaba, F. Mendy – Modrić, Casemiro, Kroos – Rodrygo (F. Valverde, 64e), Benzema, Vinicius Jr (Marcelo, 86^e). Coach: Carlo Ancelotti.

Athletic Club (4-4-2): Unai Simón – De Marcos, Y. Álvarez, Iñ. Martínez, Balenziaga (Berchiche, 58e) – Berenguer (N. Williams, 46^e), Dani García, Zarraga (Vesga, 58
e
), Muniain (Serrano, 81
e) – Sancet (R. García, 58e), I. Williams. Coach: Marcelino.

By Alexandre Lazar