Madrid clinch Spanish Super Cup in Jeddah
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| Real were victorious on penalties to win the Super Cup |
JEDDAH: It took them quite two hours of football and a nail-biting penalty shootout, but they did it Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup in thrilling fashion on Sunday night in Jeddah.
Two imperious goalkeepers came out on top during a goalless final at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, but Belgian Courtois proved decisive, saving Thomas Partey’s penalty after Saul Niguez had already hit the post. Sergio Ramos tucked away the winning spot-kick to make sure Real Madrid clinched their first trophy of the season, with La Liga and therefore the Champions League next in their sights.
Atletico may need to win it in extra-time when Alvaro Morata went through one-on-one but Real’s Federico Valverde took a red card in exchange for cynically fouling the striker from behind.
The victory maintains Zinedine Zidane’s spotless record as a teacher in finals. He has now led Madrid to success in three of three Champions League, two each within the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup, and now one within the Spanish Super Cup.
Ramos had been guilty of sloppiness early and Atletico should have capitalized. The defender played a pass straight to Joao Felix on the sting of the world but Felix dragged wide then Ferland Mendy gave the ball away carelessly, just for Morata to seem for contact from Courtois and a penalty when there was neither.
Both teams had good chances to win it late on, with Luka Jovic’s deflected cross finding Valverde free five yards out just for the midfielder’s header to hit his own knee before drifting harmlessly over.
Saudi Arabia will host the Super Cup, in its new four-team format, for the subsequent three years.
Zidane, Simeone praise Valverde
Federico Valverde brought Alvaro Morata down with what was a really strong tackle five minutes before the top of additional time, preventing Atletico’s striker from enjoying a really obvious scoring chance. Naturally, Valverde was sent off. Real Madrid ended up winning the title within the penalty shootout.
The tackle itself was ugly, a touch dirty even. However, it had been the proper decision because it saved Real Madrid from having to attain the equalizer in only three minutes. After the sport, both coaches Zinedine Zidane and Diego Simeone refused to feature fuel to the hearth and praised Valverde’s decision.
“Valverde did well because he did what he had to try to to. He apologized to Morata. He earned the MVP, but this is often a team trophy because all of our players gave their best. all of them deserve this trophy,” said Zidane when asked about the tackle.
Simeone was completely honest about Valverde’s red card also and admitted that the other player would’ve done the precise same thing.
“It was the foremost important play of the sport needless to say. He won the sport thereupon tackle. I told him to not worry because the other player would’ve done an equivalent. He did what he had to try to,” explained Atletico’s coach.
Valverde wasn’t proud of the tackle when asked about it after the sport, but he acknowledged that he had no choice but to foul Morata if he wanted his team to win the sport.
“It’s something that no-one should do because within the end we’re all colleagues. I apologized. What I did isn't nice, but it’s the sole thing I could do and I’m happy for the title,” said the midfielder.
Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia in the week
Real Madrid and Barcelona are going to be among those tussling for the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia in the week, amid controversy over a tournament held away from range in a rustic long-condemned for its record on human rights. Spain's two most decorated clubs could bully-off during a Clasico final in Jeddah on Sunday if Real Madrid beat in-form Valencia and Barca can overcome Atletico Madrid within the semis.
Yet the prospect of another showdown between La Liga's leading pair has been overshadowed by criticism, with lingering concerns a few Spanish competition being played on a special continent, quite 4,000 miles (6,400 km) away.
The financial incentives on offer, both to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), who run the competition, and therefore the four clubs participating are sure to are persuasive.
For agreeing to participate alone, Barcelona and Real Madrid will receive six million euros ($6.72 million) while Atletico and Valencia will pocket around three million euros each. If Barca and Real Madrid reach the ultimate, it's expected they're going to earn around 10 million euros for the week.
The RFEF, meanwhile, has an agreement for the tournament to be held in Saudi Arabia for 3 years, that it'll earn a complete of 120 million euros, an amount it claims are going to be replaced into the women's game and lower leagues.
President Luis Rubiales has also said the old format, involving a final in August between the league champions and cup winners, was not capturing the imagination of fans.
"The Super Cup was doomed to death," said Rubiales in November.
"The money we'll get isn't for building a villa. it'll attend women's football and therefore the clubs in Segunda B and Tercera. in fact money is vital, who can deny that? Money is extremely important but the cash will go where it's needed."
- 'Heinous human rights record' -
But in exchange for bigger cheques, the RFEF is facing accusations of betraying Spanish supporters and turning a blind eye to Saudi Arabia's "heinous human rights record", because it was described by Amnesty International in November. Â
Saudi Arabia has followed the lead of Qatar and therefore the United Arab Emirates by accelerating its investment in sports events to exert soft power and cast a more positive image of the country across the planet.
"There may be a very offensive policy to host major sporting events... to spread a special image of Saudi Arabia," Carole Gomez, a researcher at the Institute of International and Strategic Relations, told AFP.
But Rubiales believes the Spanish Super Cup is often used as a force permanently.
"On the planet there are food, economic, social inequalities," he said. "We can avoid it or we will attempt to contribute to varying."
Amid criticism of Saudi Arabia's treatment of girls, agreements are reached between the RFEF and therefore the Spanish authorities to make sure women will have free access to the King Abdullah Stadium, where all three fixtures are going to be played.
In January 2018, women were allowed to enter a stadium to observe football in Saudi Arabia for the primary time.
"Women can enter of these events," the Saudi ambassador to Spain, Mansour Bin Khalid Al Farhan Al-Saud, told Marca last month. "That is what I mean once I say there's ignorance. you've got false ideas about our country. there's no limitation for ladies in our country."
Fans from Spain appear unlikely to form the 10-hour trip to Jeddah, which might cost them on the brink of 1,000 euros in flights and accommodation combined.
According to Spanish newspaper El Mundo on Monday, only 1,076 of 12,000 tickets had been sold, with Valencia selling just 26. "Nobody wants to travel to the Spanish Super Cup", read El Mundo's headline.
Supporters may additionally have weighed up the importance of the tournament, which is taken into account far less prestigious even than the Copa del Rey, Spain's domestic cup competition, and pales into insignificance alongside La Liga and therefore the Champions League.
Real Madrid and Barcelona sit level on points at the highest of Los Angeles Liga and every one four clubs are going to be wanting to avoid injuries, with each of them involved within the Champions League knock-out stage, which begins next month.
Madrid announced on Monday that neither Karim Benzema, their top scorer, nor Gareth Bale would be traveling thanks to fitness problems and Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde are going to be wary of over-exerting Lionel Messi too.
The desire to clinch a trophy is going to be checked by a requirement to prioritize and any celebrations might not be fully shared by those watching reception.
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