Athletic Bilbao – Real Madrid: Karim Benzema scorer, Real offers a 12th Spanish Super Cup

One more trophy in Spanish Super Cup | Spanish League”>Real Madrid‘s already full cupboard. Four days after dominating FC Barcelona, ​​the club from the Spanish capital won the Spanish Super Cup, the 12th in its history, by bringing down defending champion Athletic Bilbao (2-0). Despite two game facts in their favor, the Merengues showed great control to win, thanks to achievements from Luka Modric and, of course, the inevitable Karim Benzema.

The French international has kicked off his 2022 year perfectly, which he will hope to conclude by winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with the Blues. Not far from where he will want to win a second title with France, it was in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that he won his twentieth trophy with the White House. Shining against FC Barcelona in the semi-finals, the former Lyonnais was less prominent this Sunday, but against his favorite victim with Real, he still managed to be decisive.

A history of penalties

From a penalty obtained thanks to VAR for a handball from Yeray Alvarez on his shot, KB9 perfectly hit the left side of Unai Simon’s goal to allow his side to make the break at the start of the second period (2-0, 52nd). But the Leones will be able to cry foul because, in a similar situation in the first act, where David Alaba had touched the ball with his right hand in his area, the refereeing body did not flinch. Not enough, all the same, to call into question the very logical success of the troop of Carlo Ancelotti, who are approaching with great serenity their round of 16 first leg of the Champions League against PSG, on February 15.

Because the Merengues, if they suffered at the end of the match, for a very long time muzzled the Basques unable to puncture the opposing safe. Very clean, Luka Modric’s teammates, still excellent in the midfield, made their technical superiority speak for control of the game. But they have long been too clumsy to hope to score (3rd, 11th, 19th, 35th ). Until, on a supersonic breakthrough from Rodrygo on the right side, the 2018 Golden Ball unlocked its goal counter this season with a powerful strike from the right (1-0, 38th).

Courtois still has to pull out all the stops

After Benzema’s achievement, the annoyance of Marcelino’s players and the solidity of Real Madrid have long led people to believe that Carlo Ancelotti’s troops were going to live quiet minutes until the final whistle. But as the end approached, the people of Madrid gradually lost their control, and they needed a great Thibaut Courtois not to experience a dangerous end to the game.

While Eder Militao received a red card and conceded a penalty in the 87th minute for involuntarily stopping a Raul Garcia header in front of his line, he saw the Belgian goalkeeper repel Garcia’s attempt full axis, left foot (89th). Enough to finish the match without too many fears, and offer Ancelotti his first trophy since his return to the club six months ago. The “Mister” will hope to raise many others by the end of the season.