Real Madrid booked their place in the Spanish Super Cup final after a tense and dramatic 2-1 victory over city rivals Atlético Madrid in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Goals from Fede Valverde and Rodrygo proved enough to see off a determined Atlético side, setting up a showdown with Barcelona this Sunday night.
Early Blow and Stubborn Resistance
The match exploded into life almost immediately. With just 77 seconds on the clock, a disputed free-kick was awarded to Real Madrid. From 25 yards out, Fede Valverde stepped up and unleashed a powerful, rising drive that flew past a poorly positioned Atlético wall and into the net, despite Jan Oblak getting a slight touch.
Contrary to expectations, the early goal did not signal Real dominance. Instead, Atlético took control of possession and began to exert significant pressure. Diego Simeone's side created a series of chances, with Thibaut Courtois forced into excellent saves from Álex Baena and a near-post header from Alex Sørloth. The Belgian goalkeeper was a key figure as Real, often pinned back, struggled to resist Atlético's advances, particularly down their left flank.
Rodrygo Strikes Before Instant Reply
Against the run of play, Real Madrid seemingly put the game to bed ten minutes after the restart. A sharp pass from Valverde found Rodrygo, who escaped his marker and slid a neat finish past Oblak to make it 2-0.
However, Atlético's response was almost instantaneous. The dangerous combination of Giuliano and Marcos Llorente carved open the Real defence once more, with the latter clipping a cross to the far post where Alex Sørloth powered home a header in the 58th minute to halve the deficit.
A Frail Finish and Final Whistle Relief
The final half-hour was a story of attrition and resilience from Real Madrid. Injuries forced manager Xabi Alonso into a major defensive reshuffle, with Aurélien Tchouaméni dropping into central defence. Atlético, driven on by the seemingly tireless Llorente, pushed relentlessly for an equaliser.
Courtois denied Antoine Griezmann with a superb save from an overhead kick, and Tchouaméni produced a last-ditch block to thwart the Frenchman again. The drama peaked in the 96th minute when a shot from substitute Julián Alvarez flashed agonisingly past the post and away from Griezmann's desperate lunge, taking Atlético's final hope with it.
The victory means Real Madrid progress to contest the Super Cup trophy against Barcelona, offering manager Xabi Alonso a chance at silverware amidst ongoing scrutiny. For Atlético, it was a night of frustration, having registered 22 shots but ultimately falling just short.
