Real Madrid secured a narrow 2-1 victory over city rivals Atletico Madrid to book their place in the Spanish Super Cup final, setting up a second El Clasico clash with Barcelona this season. The thrilling semi-final took place last night at the King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The match started explosively, with Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde scoring a stunning 30-yard free kick just 77 seconds in. The powerful strike sailed into the top corner past goalkeeper Jan Oblak, leaving Atletico stunned by the ferocity of Valverde’s shot.
In the second half, Brazilian forward Rodrygo Goes doubled Real Madrid’s lead with a smart finish in the 55th minute. Receiving a precise pass from Valverde, Rodrygo controlled the ball expertly before outpacing defender Robin Le Normand to slot home, showcasing his attacking flair.
Atletico mounted intense pressure thereafter, pulling a goal back when Norwegian striker Alexander Sørloth rose highest at the back post to head in a powerful goal, halving the deficit with over 30 minutes remaining. Despite 22 attempts on goal, that was Atletico’s only successful strike.
Sørloth also had a close chance late in the first half, heading wide from a Conor Gallagher cross. Meanwhile, Argentina forward Julian Alvarez missed a key opportunity deep into injury time in the second half.
Real Madrid, without injured key player Kylian Mbappe, held on under pressure to secure the win. Their reward is a Super Cup final against Barcelona, who reached the final after a commanding 5-0 win over Athletic Club Bilbao in the first semi-final on Wednesday.
The final will take place on Sunday, January 11, in Jeddah. This tournament is being held in Saudi Arabia following an agreement between the Saudi authorities and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to host the Super Cup in the Middle East for the next three years, through 2029.
By Andrews Addotey
