Riyadh, January 17 (BNA): Real Madrid will not go to the second consecutive season without a title.
After failing to lift the trophy under Zinedine Zidane last season, Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid secured the Spanish Super Cup with a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, The Associated Press reported.
Luka Modric and Karim Benzema scored in each half of the final as Real Madrid comfortably beat the defending champions to cement their status as Spain’s best team this season.
Real Madrid have already beaten Barcelona twice – including in the Super Cup semi-finals – and Atletico Madrid once, and are more than 15 points ahead of both rivals in the middle of the La Liga season. Ancelotti also led Real Madrid to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Real Madrid went without a title for the first time in over a decade last season under Zidane.
“That’s what motivates us to keep going,” Ancelotti said. “We have to keep competing like this.”
Madrid’s 12th Super Cup title moves the club by just one advantage over Barcelona, the most successful team in the tournament. Athletic was seeking a fourth Super Cup title.
It was Madrid’s second Super Cup title since the tournament moved to Saudi Arabia in 2020. They won the first edition of the tournament in the Middle Eastern country, defeating Atletico in the final. The Super Cup returned to Spain in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Athletic was seeking its second successive title after beating Barcelona in last year’s final. He beat Atletico in this year’s semi-final in a modified Final Four format.
Modric opened the scoring with a curling shot in the upper corner after striker Rodrygo sent it into the area in the 38th minute. Benzema added the lead by converting a penalty kick in the 51st minute after a handball determined by a video review.
Athletic had a chance to get close in the last minutes but Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved Raul Garcia’s penalty with his left foot. Madrid defender Eder Militao has been sent off for the handball that led to the penalty kick.
“We could have come back into the game, but Courtois ended our chances with these saves,” said Athletic defender Oscar de Marcos. “It’s a shame but we have to be proud. It’s not easy to reach these finals. We competed against great teams.”
Madrid’s victory has given veteran Brazil defender Marcelo the 23rd title with the club since his arrival in 2006, joining Paco Gento. It has propelled him ahead of former centre-back Sergio Ramos, who is now with PSG. It is Marcelo’s fifth Spanish Super Cup title. He entered the match as a substitute in the 86th minute and lifted the trophy as captain.
Real Madrid missed defender Dani Carvajal due to the Corona virus test.
There was a limited crowd at King Fahd Stadium with a capacity of 62,000 spectators due to the pandemic.
pending match
Sergio Canales scored in the 73rd minute to lead Real Betis to a 2-1 victory over Sevilla in the Copa del Rey match, which resumed a day after a Sevilla player was hit in the head by a piece of PVC thrown from the stands at the Benito Villamarin stadium in Betis. And Betis advanced to the quarter-finals. The match was suspended 1-1 on Saturday.
Valencia progress
Marcos Andre scored one minute into the match as Valencia beat Atletico Baleares 1-0 to advance to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals. Atletico was the last third-tier team still in the competition.
Elche wins again
And in the only La Liga match on Sunday, Elche beat Villarreal 1-0 at home with a 78th minute goal by Lucas Pouille to win their third consecutive game in all competitions.