Real Madrid Clinches Spanish Super Cup Final After Thrilling Extra Time Victory against Atlético Madrid
Real Madrid secures spot in Spanish Super Cup final with a captivating victory over Atlético Madrid, triumphing 5-3 in an exhilarating encounter
Real Madrid is still poised to win all the trophies this season after defeating Atlético Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal, triumphing 5-3 in extra time. Atlético scored first with Mario Hermoso after six minutes, but Real quickly responded with goals from Antonio Rüdiger and Ferland Mendy taking the lead 2-1.
Antoine Griezmann equalized the scores just eight minutes before half-time, making a historic 174th goal for Atlético and surpassing legendary forward Luis Aragones to become the club's all-time leading goal scorer.
The fifth goal of the game didn't come until the 77th minute, when Rüdiger's own goal gifted Atlético what seemed like the winning goal after some disastrous defending from the Germany international and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Despite a series of desperate blocks inside the Colchonero penalty area, Real was kept at bay. Dani Carvajal, celebrating his birthday on Thursday, finally scored the equalizing goal with just six minutes remaining. In extra time, Carvajal set up Joselu, whose deflected header resulted in an own goal by Stefan Savić.
Mario Hermoso rose highest from a corner to give Atleti an early lead.
Juan Medina/Reuters
In stoppage time, Atlético pushed all their players forward in search of an equalizer. Los Blancos successfully cleared a corner kick and Brahim Díaz capitalized on the opportunity, sprinting past Atleti goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who had advanced for the corner, to steal the ball and score from a distance into an empty net.
Carlo Ancelotti emphasized the unwavering determination of the team, stating, "It is the essence of Real Madrid and a valuable lesson for our young players: we may have lost today, but we never give up."
"We are thrilled with the result and need to remain composed as it was an intense game. Our focus now is on the remaining 90 minutes to secure the title, and that is our ultimate goal."
"The squad inspires a lot of confidence in me because even the players who come off the bench contribute to our success," added the Italian. "The entire team is motivated and committed; that's the only way to win these kinds of games."
The Spanish Super Cup, which was previously a single final, was turned into a four-team tournament in 2019 and relocated to Saudi Arabia.
Rüdiger's header drew Real level.
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos faced continuous boos from the crowd every time he handled the ball in Wednesday's match. These actions were believed to be a reaction from Saudi fans towards comments made by the World Cup champion regarding the country's human rights record and subpar domestic league. This was widely reported by various sources.
Kroos expressed in a Sports Illustrated interview in August 2023 that the human rights record of Saudi Arabia is "the one thing that would stop me from such a move," implying his reluctance to join the country's Saudi Pro League (SPL) in the future. He also remarked that players who do move to the SPL are making "a decision for money and against football."
This was the initial match in a series of three between the city rivals, scheduled to face off in three different competitions over the course of three weeks. The second matchup is set for next Thursday in the Copa del Rey round of 16, followed by a third encounter in the league on February 4.
"Despite that, Atlético manager Diego Simeone emphasized that Thursday's match is not a rematch, but rather a new game."
Simeone commented, "We played well during the match. I believe we could have secured the win within 90 minutes. We need to analyze and learn from the specific situations that occurred during the match."
Real will face either Barcelona or Osasuna in the final.
Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images
"We did a lot of things well; other things that the team needs to improve in and that depends a lot on our work.
"We competed well and Real knows that we are capable of competing. Hopefully, we can improve in the areas that need work before Thursday's match. Real Madrid will face either Barcelona or Osasuna in the final on Sunday."
