RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – JANUARY 10: Antonio Ruediger of Real Madrid (R) celebrates scoring his teams first goal with teammate Jude Bellingham during the Super Copa de Espana match between Real Madrid CF and Atletico Madrid at Al-Awwal Park on January 10, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
Real Madrid advanced to the Supercopa de Espana final after defeating cross-town rivals Atletico 5-3 in Riyadh on Wednesday night.
Supercopa de Espana
Result: Real Madrid 5-3 Atletico Madrid
Date: 10 January 2024
Venue: Al Awal Park at King Saud University
Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and Nacho Hernandez that survived from Real’s Copa Del Rey last 16 win over Arandina on Sunday, as Jan Oblak, Jose Gimenez, Saul Niguez picked out Atleti’s starting line-up.
Los Blancos didn’t made the ideal start after their cross-town rivals went ahead on six minutes as Mario Hermoso connected with Antoine Griezmann’s floated corner to head in the bottom-corner.
The lead lasted just 16 minutes as Los Blancos got a way back when a delivery from Luka Modric off a corner rolled all the way through the area and picked out Antoinio Rudiger to head past Oblak.
Real took the lead on the half-hour mark when Ferland Mendy applied a deft finish from an unfamiliar position to execute Dani Carvajal’s surging cross beyond a sprawling Oblak.
Griezmann steered the fellow LaLiga side level seven minutes to halftime after meeting Rodrigo De Paul’s pass to leave challengers in their wake to curl past an outstretched Kepa.
Brazilian Rodrygo Goes should’ve handed Real the lead once again three minutes to the break through a snap effort from a loose ball in the box but he didn’t succeed.
Following a quiet start to the second half, Atletico very nearly regained the lead through a teasing left-footed strike by Morata off a mistake by Carvajal but it was snuffed out by Kepa.
Los Blancos decided to ring the changes in the 67th minute and introduced Toni Kroos much to a host of jeers from the home crowd as Modric.
Atletico went in ahead in strange circumstances 12 minutes from time when smart bit of pressure from Morata saw Kepa fumble a cross from Rodrigo Riquelme over the goal-line and into the net.
Los Blancos drew level in the final minutes with a smart finish from Carvajal after Atleti went to sleep at the back, sending the encounter to extra-time.
With four minutes left in extra-time, Los Blancos managed to the lead once again courtesy of a finish from Joselu, who got on the end of Dani Carvajal’s cross and headed past Oblak via a deflection.
Madrid sealed the win in the 120th minute when Brahim Diaz found the back of the net, sealing the team’s spot in the final for the fourth successive campaign since the new format was introduced in 2019.
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