Real Madrid won an eight-goal thriller in Riyadh to reach the Spanish Super Cup final. It was the Madrid derby on tour with Diego Simeone’s Atletico their rivals in the 5-3 win for Carlo Ancelotti‘s side.
The game had everything including a record-breaking Antoine Griezmann wonder goal, jeers for Toni Kroos, and the final-minute sight of Jan Oblak chasing back from the Real Madrid half to try in vain to catch runaway Brahim Diaz who scored the last goal of the game.
Atletico Madrid took the lead when Mario Hermoso rose unmarked to head in Griezmann’s corner on seven minutes. Simeone’s team had started well but once Jude Bellingham got into his stride Madrid began to dominate.
Bellingham’s shot was pushed out for a corner by Jan Oblak and from Luka Modric’s precise kick Antonio Rudiger powered a header past Oblak.
That goal came on 20 minutes and 10 minutes later Carlo Ancelotti’s team were ahead when Bellingham played Dani Carvajal down the right and from his cross Ferland Mendy subtly flicked the ball past Oblak in a crowded area.
Brahim Diaz (centre) sealed victory for Real Madrid with the final kick of the game
Joselu forced Stefan Savic to put into his own net with just four minutes remaining
MATCH FACTS
Real Madrid (4-3-1-2): Kepa; Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy (Camavinga 81); Valverde (Guler 112), Tchouameni (Diaz 81), Modric (Kroos 67); Bellingham; Rodrygo (Ceballos 106), Vinicius Jr (Joselu 106)
Goals: Rudiger, Mendy, Carvajal, Savic OG, Diaz
Manager: Carlo Ancelotti
Atletico Madrid (3-5-2): Oblak; Savic, Gimenez, Hermoso; Llorente (Azpilicueta 107), De Paul (Witsel 90), Koke (Galan 104), Saul (Riquelme 67), Lino (Molina 67), Morata (Correa 91), Griezmann
Goals: Hermoso, Griezmann, Rudiger OG
Manager: Diego Simeone
Madrid looked clearly on top with Atletico talisman Antoine Griezmann largely anonymous but when he came alive on 37 minutes it was to put himself into the record books with a brilliant goal.
He took a pass from Rodrigo de Paul and carried the ball to the left of the Real Madrid penalty area taking Modric with him.
He seemed to be going nowhere with Modric for company and heading only towards the towering Rudiger but somehow he gave both the slip turning back inside before shooting right-footed past Kepa Arrizabalaga to level at 2-2.
It was his 174th goal for the club, one more than Luis Aragones who had held the record as the club’s top scorer since 1974.
Only an Oblak save from Rodrygyo just, before the break, kept the two teams level and Oblak saved again, this time from Carvajal, in Real Madrid’s clearest second half chance just short of the 70 minute mark.
Toni Kroos was on by now having replaced Modric and his every touch was booed – spectators inside the Al Awal Park Stadium were reacting to Kroos’ criticism of Gabri Veiga’s decision to move to the country from Celta Vigo to Al-Ahli in the summer. They had also jeered the minute’s silence for Frank Beckenbauer.
Mario Hermoso (centre) had put Atletico Madrid in front after just seven minutes
Antonio Rudiger brought Real Madrid level after 20 minutes in Saudi Arabia
Ferland Mendy celebrates with his team-mates after putting Real Madrid in front
Antoine Griezmann (left) brought Atletico level during a thrilling first half
With 11 minutes left Alvaro Morata got his team ahead again, or at least provoked the goal that made it 3-2. Substitute Rodrigo Riquelme crossed from the left and when Kepa came to claim he dropped the cross onto the in-rushing Rudiger who couldn’t help but turn it over the line.
The Chelsea loanee complained that Morata had backed into him but referee Javier Alberola Rojas was happy with the contact and gave the goal.
Madrid were not done though and they leveled again with a perseverance that deserved a goal. First Vinicius raced passed Hermoso but was denied by Oblak. The ball came out to Bellingham but his shots were blocked first by Molina and then Hermoso. But when the ball came out to Carvajal he slammed it home.
Brahim Diaz was now on for Madrid and he shot just wide after a mazy run as Atletico clung on for extra time.
Bellingham and the substitutes aside, everyone now looked to be running on empty. Even the England man had needed two physios – one on each calf muscle – to massage him back into shape before the restart. Real Madrid dominated the first half of extra-time but fatigue meant that Ancelotti had to take both Rodrygo and Vinicius off at the break.
Bellingham was still going and Carvajal found some extra energy from somewhere as both combined for the winner.
Chelsea loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga had a disastrous moment when he dropped a cross onto Rudiger and the ball bounced into the net
Jude Bellingham kept going throughout the 120 minutes and Real Madrid eventually got their reward
Dani Carvajal forced the game into extra time and Real Madrid then won the game with two late goals
The full-back crossed on 115 minutes and although substitute Joselu barely got a touch on the cross it didn’t matter because, coming in behind him, Stefan Savic studded the ball down into the turf.
It bounced up over Oblak who tried in vain to scramble it out of the back of his net. The game deserved a more attractive winning goal but Real Madrid were not complaining.
Oblak went up for a last minute corner to make amends and he stayed up for a subsequent throw-in.
He was still up, when Real Madrid broke and Diaz sprinted clear to make it 5-3 and confirm his team’s place in Sunday’s final where they will play Barcelona or Osasuna who face each other on Thursday night.