And here is the report.
Updated
So I guess that’s us. The game teased and taunted but never quite got going, and ended in the way we knew it would: Sergio Ramos celebrating, though this time the hero/villain was Federico Valverde. Ta-ra.
Updated
A derby is a derby, and the Real players look pretty happy. It’s another trophy too, and they point, dance and gesticulate. Football is the winner.
Updated
Penalties: Real 4-1 Atletico (Ramos) Real Madrid win the Spanish Supercopa!
Can he score? Of course he can! Ramos rolls in the decisive kick, and Real Madrid, who won neither league nor cup, have won the competition for the league and cup winners! I’m choking up here!
Updated
Penalties: Real 3-1 Atletico (Trippier)
Great penalty, whacked into the roof, left-hand side.
Penalties: Real 3-0 Atletico (Modric)
Modric ambles up and canes a riser into the top left. Atleti must score this next one and hope Real miss their next two.
Updated
Penalties: Real 2-0 Atletico (Thomas miss)
Thomas swipes hard, but Courtois guesses right, it’s not in the corner, and he shoves the ball away!
Updated
Penalties: Real 2-0 Atletico (Rodrygo)
Rodrygo absolutely lamps his kick into the top corner, Pressman-style.
Penalties: Real 1-0 Atletico (Saul miss)
Saul saunters u[, opens his body, and taps against the foot of the post as Courtois goes the wrong way!
Penalties: Real 1-0 Atletico (Carvajal)
Straight run-up and Carvajal despatches confidently, halfway up and to Oblak’s right as he dives left.
Carvajal will go first for Real...
“Regarding Liverpool’s prospects against Atletico,” emails Hakan Burden, “I can’t see Pep getting too nervous about meeting Real. Given how the Madrid team plays today City has to be huge favourites?”
How they played today is one thing - can they play that much better than this? I’m not sure, and I think City may well wipe the floor with them.
Definitely got a bit of the ball.
Roja a Valverde por esta dura entrada sobre Morata que se iba solo hacia la portería rival. #SupercopaDeEspaña pic.twitter.com/iJGZvAA2pO
— Fútbol en Movistar+ (@MovistarFutbol) January 12, 2020
So we get the artificial finish this nonsense deserves. At least we got a little rumble at the end, eg.
Full-time: Real Madrid 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Penalties it is!
120 min There’ll be one added minute.
118 min Has someone spike the Isostar? Another save from Courtois following the corner, again from Correa!
117 min Courtois fumbles Correa’s low free-kick away, then saves from Vinicius, who diverts the ball towards his own goal
Updated
VALVERDE OF REAL MADRID IS SENT OFF! RUCKUS ENSUES!
115 min Real win a free-kick that Ramos can’t quick head back into danger and Atletico break! A poor touch from Arias allows Saul to send Morata screeching through the middle, and just before he reaches the box, Carvajal upends him, playground-style! Glorious! There might’ve been a covering man - we’re not allowed to see - but either way, the ref shows red! There follows some ruckus, in which at least two yellow cards are shown - Savic got one and so did Carvajal - and here we go, at last!
Updated
114 min Carvajal makes hay down the right and smacks a cross towards the near post that Felipe heads firmly clear.
111 min Carvajal allows Saul to jump, then upends him in the air. He’s booked.
110 min But here they come now, Modric punching a shot from the edge of the box which Oblak fists away! And Mariano collects the rebound inside the box, dances across a challenge, then drives low ... straight at Oblak, who does brilliantly to get hands down by his boots!
Updated
109 min It’s very hard to see how Madrid evolve this side any time soon. They don’t necessarily have the money to buy stars anymore, they need so many new players, and can’t really bin the oder ones who’ve done so much for them.
109 min Madrid have missed Benzema so much tonight.
107 min Varane heads the following corner clear.
106 min Immediately, Atleti win a corner which Thomas takes, and Courtois comes flying out only to miss his punch; Morata tries an overhead, that someone blocks wide.
106 min Finally.
Half-time in extra-time: Real Madrid 0-0 Atletico Madrid
That was not so good.
105+1 min “Fair points,” reverts Martin Burdett. “Atletico of course have plenty of CL experience and are unquestionably a resilient side in the image of their manager but seriously Trippier will be having nightmares about facing Mané, and none of Atletico’s forwards have anything to worry Van Dijk and co. And let’s be honest, Liverpool always raise their game for the big matches. We’ll talk again after the second leg.”
Van Dijk is an excellent defender; he’s not God. But yes, if I was Simeone I’d be telling Felix to have a go at whoever’s next to him. As I said, I think Liverpool will go through, but I’d not be surprised if they didn’t. One problem Atletico might have is a lack of width, which might well stop them pinning Liverpool’s full-backs back.
Updated
104 min Real work the ball wide to Mendy, whose cross is headed clear by Felipe.
103 min Vinicius replaces Kroos. I’m pretty sure both managers have stopped keeping score.
102 min Lovely from Modric who, facing the touchline, feints then nicks a yard to cross, Mariano heading over.
101 min Yet another change for Atleti, Arias on for Joao Felix. If the players were my kids I’d be calling them in for dinner.
100 min Carvajal tries to go around Llorente, but his cross is easily headed clear by Spider from Corrie Savic.
98 min An extremely displeased Gimenez is removed, stomping off and chucking boots when he sits on the bench. Savic replaces him.
97 min The ball breaks to Modric in the box and he jinks inside to open up a shooting lane, but Thomas slides in to shut it right down.
96 min The Real players are ambling about like they can’t grasp what they’re being told to do here. Extra-time in a Charity Shield friendly, played in the middle of the following season, in a different country, with neither finalist a trophy-holder; what a piece of nonsense.
95 min Back to that Liverpool point, Atletico won’t be scared of them either, or daunted by the occasion.
94 min Meanwhile, Vitolo lashes a shot wide.
92 min “I seem to recall you writing at the start of the match preview that Atletico had a good chance of knocking out the CL holders,” says Martin Burdett. “With the exception of an exceptional goalkeeper and a good central defender, there is nothing to worry LFC. I don’t know how you could possibly come to such a conclusion especially over two legs with the second leg at Anfield?”
I’d always prefer the first leg at home as it goes, especially if I was the inferior team. But I also think Atletico have more going for them than that – their midfield is tough, quick and clever, Joao Felix on a good day will cause problems and Liverpool’s centre-backs rarely have to mark a man each. I’d expect Liverpool to go through, but I’d not be surprised if they didn’t - they’ve won a lot of tight games, and generally though not always, that doesn’t sustain through a season.
91 min Off we go yet again.
Full-time: Real Madrid 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Extra-time it is, because it’s no more than this crucial competition deserves.
90+4 min Clever! With everyone expecting a cross, Thomas tries a low shot around the near side of the wall, seeking the near post, but Courtois scrambles it away.
90+3 min Vitolo stretches the ball away from Modric, who loughs through him and is booked; another free-kick, 30 yards out, right of centre. Thomas with it...
90+3 min Now Atleti have a free-kick, which Thomas pumps into the box, but Varane heads clear.
90+1 min Real are still trying to win this, Carvajal digging out a fine cross that Mariano can’t reach with his head ... but the ball reaches Rodrygo, who spins into a low, hard shot ... that’s straight at Oblak! Anywhere else and that was the game!
90 min There’ll be three added minutes.
89 min A further change for Atleti, Llorente replacing Lodi.
88 min Correa barges through Kroos, who now has the chance to stick in a ball into the mixer, 30 yards out. He picks out Casemiro at the back post, and the knock-back isn’t bad, but Oblak punches clear.
87 min Mariano, who has a turn of pace, seizes onto an error from Trippier, but a heavy touch allows Saul to slide in and unload him.
86 min If I was Liverpool or Man City watching this, I’d be extremely unscared.
85 min Mariano screeches down the left, but has no support and does well to win a throw. Nothing comes of it.
83 min Mendy snaps a ball into Mariano, whose return is just too strong.
83 min Strange change for Real, Mariano replacing Jovic.
82 min Morata comes deep, turns, and sticks Correa away down the left. But he can’t find a killer pass, and now Real counter ... to no avail.
80 min Lovely from Trippier, coaxing a pass around three defenders and into the path of Morata, who watches it onto his foot before guiding a low shot ... that Courtois saves at his near post. Of course he does, it was Morata. That wasn’t actually a bad effort - it was a really good save - but the space was at the far post.
Updated
78 min It’s Real committing men forward trying to win this, but they don’t quite have the speed to work Atleti out of position and eventually Carvajal lofts a cross into Oblak’s hands.
Updated
77 min Jovic finds Rodrygo, who drives at the Atletico defence before running into 43 men and losing the ball.
74 min Rodrygo leads a counter, a lovely feint sending Thomas for a bag of kelewele; he retorts with a trip, earning himself a yellow card.
72 min Thomas and Saul look like they’re taking control of midfield now - Real’s trio are old, after all. And a clever pass into midfield by the former allows an attack to build down the right, Trippier combining nicely with Vitolo, whose cross is kicked clear.
71 min I’d expect to see Vinicius soon.
70 min Real have been much the better side since half-time, but Atleti are just starting to show signs of life.
Updated
69 min Correa drives at the heart of the Real defence before sliding in Vitolo, to his left, who slices a lash wide.
67 min Eeek! Jovic pulls wide and takes a ball from Rodrygo, drilling a low cross that clips Gimenez and picks out Carvajal! But, full-back that he is, he brings up his knees and heads into them and wide, the goal gaping.
66 min I’m disappointed in Thomas tonight. He’s a player who’s looked ready to step up a level, but he’s done hardly anything here.
64 min Modric gets away down the right but without the pace to go on the outside needs to come back inside. His mates can’t find the angle for a killer pass, and eventually Felix runs into Valverde, earning the free-kick.
63 min After a moment standing at the side, Ramos is ready to return.
61 min Ramos is down after jumping with Morata and landing very slightly awkwardly.
Updated
60 min Real make their first change, Rodrygo replacing Isco. That looks a good call, because Isco has been peripheral and some pace on the outside will help Jovic.
59 min Joao Felix makes ground down the right but Carvajal shadows him all the way, forcing him to turn, retreat and lay back for Thomas, who makes nothing of it.
57 min A long ball over the top sends Mendy away, and he teases Trippier before sliding over to Modric, who has a look, shifts it, then swipes a shot wide. Real need to score during this spell.
56 min And there it is: off goes Herrera and on comes Vitolo.
55 min My coverage dropped out, but it’s still 0-0. Real are all over it now, and Simeone needs to change something.
Updated
51 min This is more like it! Modric glides through midfield and finds Jovic, who moves away from Trippier, slows, feints inside and moves outside, then drills a shot just wide of the far post. He’s already done more this half than in the whole of the last one.
48 min Well! Casemiro chugs through midfield and releases Jovic, who doesn’t look fast but somehow manages not to be caught by any of the three men close to him - Cantona was like that, not fast but always fast enough. Then, just as he looks ready to shoot, making down the left side of the box, Gimenez slides in to concede a corner - which comes to nothing.
47 min Obviously Xavi is a genius, but this would have been quite a move. Even Guardiola had more experience, and also had the greatest raw materials of all-time at his disposal.
46 min Meanwhile...
46 min Off we go again.I should note that in the event of a draw, we shall enjoy extra-time and penalties.
Back come the boyz.
Half-time: Real Madrid 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone will be relatively pleased with how that went. Joao Felix missed the game’s only real chance, and his team look far more dangerous in the final third. Zinedine Zidane needs to change something - perhaps Vinicius or Rodrygo need a run.
43 min Real win a corner down the right and Kroos picks out Casemiro “in and around” the near post. He leaps well, and heads just over the top.
43 min Apparently, Luis Suarez will be out for the rest of the season with his knee situation.
42 min Nice from Correa, lifting the ball over one challenge and bustling past another ... before running out of position, inside the box.
41 min This game needs a goal. It’s not bad so far, but both teams can do more, if incited to.
39 min nice from Mendy, pulling wide, putting the ball on Trippier’s inside and barging through on his outside, before shooting straight at Oblak.
38 min The crowd perform a Mexican wave. No further questions, yer honour.
36 min More possession for Madrid, and for a second it looks as though Kroos has picked a good ball into the box for Jovic, but he can’t turn adroitly enough to get a shot away.
34 min Lovely fro Valverde, shimmying away from Lodi before finding Carvajal on touchline. He can’t do anything with the return, but he’s Real’s most lively attacker thus far.
33 min If they’re already going global with this game, they should probably fly Mike Dean in to ref it.
31 min But here comes Mendy on the left, only for Trippier to get in his road.
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31 min Real are focusing their attacks down their right. Have they never seen Trippier play?
29 min A better five minutes for Real, who have enjoyed some time in the Atleti half without creating anything.
27 min Now we’re talking. Jovic wriggles away from Felipe, who scythes him down and is booked.
25 min Madrid stroke it around and find Valverde on the right, but he can’t pick out a man with his cross. Madrid keep it going though, before a poor cross is clipped away by Trippier.
25 min We need a bit of Gabi to up the needle.
24 min It’s been a fair while since Real mustered an attack worthy of note.
22 min Now it’s Correa, taking the long way around the outside of Real’s back four, before Ramos nips in to unload him.
Updated
21 min And now it’s Saul’s go, shifting it to go outside Carvajal before sliding into a shot which deflects wide. The resultant corner comes to nowt.
20 min Atleti are the better team here, and Thomas finds Morata who drives at the box, scudding a low one just wide from 20 yards.
Updated
19 min Saul appears on the left, which isn’t where I’d like to see him. The first few times i saw him, I thought I was watching the new Bryan Robson, but it’s not quite happened for him in the way I hoped it might. Those who watch Atleti more than me: what does he need to fulfil his potential?
17 min “It was an excellent Simeone photo-series you treated us to in the preamble,” says Matt Dony, “but the most magnificent part was Batigol looking on, giving the sultry side-eye. What a man. What a footballer. What a shot! Foot like a traction engine, and so on.”
His eyes were a revelation, but I also enjoyed the sneaky bit of Ortega. Both played in this game, which I was lucky enough to be at.
15 min And here come Atleti again, Morata again flowing towards the line, before collapsing with the weight of Courtois’ breathing. That’s a dive, is that, but he escapes a booking much to Casemiro and Ramos’ chagrin.
14 min Chance Atleti! The free-kick goes short into the channel and Ramos botches his clearance straight to Felix! He takes a touch, then drags a shot wide with the goal gaping!
13 min Trippier catches one on his chest, then catches one on his leg, courtesy of little Isco. No harm done.
12 min On the Atleti bench, Diego Costa appears to be wearing a Varsity jacket of some sort. What is the world coming to?
11 min This is, so far, a better game than Bournemouth-Watford. There. I said it.
9 min And when the corner is half-cleared, Modric swerves a shot into Oblak’s midriff.
9 min Valverde controls a crossfield ball nicely and lifts over Lodi’s head, then sees his cross deflected behind.
7 min Lodi pushes forward and finds Joao Felix, who burrows into trouble and shoots into the nearest shins.
5 min This is good from Real, pushing Atletico back, and Modric finds Casemiro, who punches a side-footed curler which Oblak holds easily enough.
4 min Carvajal clips a ball towards the far side of the box, where Isco waits, but Trippier reads it well – who ever supposed to write those words –and heads clear.
4 min I should note that I am currently watching on a tiny screen without commentary.
3 min Gimenez drills wide to Trippier, who’s crowded out, but Morata picks up the ball and hits the line, digging out a decent cross that Ramos heads away.
1 min Real set us away!
I understand that the players are out.
Obviously the unnamed betting site has problems delivering the stream. Ho hum.
Looking at this Atleti team, I’d guess that they’ll look to hurt Madrid through the middle. They’re so strong in that area and know that Ramos isn’t what he was, plus they lack a bit of flair and pace out wide.
Alvaro Morata, then. He has so much ability – speed, strength, imagination – but can he turn it into anything serious? I sometimes wonder if Simeone bought him to ensure he maintains requisite fury at all time, or if he just fancied the biggest challenge going. I don’t yet think we can answer with any degree of certainty.
For balance, frisson/strides interface.
Game recognise game.
I can go all night.
“There they are, the lads.”
Pretty sure I could take him if I had to.
Elsewhere, the aforementioned City are 4-0 up at Villa Park, with just 45 minutes played. Those Villa players must be buzzing for the second half.
In little more than a month’s time, these sides will take on England’s best. Atleti meet Liverpool in the first round of fixtures, and Real meet City in the second. If Laporte is back, I’d back City to progress with relative ease, but think Atleti have a good chance of taking out the holders.
It is extremely apt that this game can only be viewed in the UK on a betting website.
As for Atleti – nickname terms, us – they’re getting there. They too aren’t what they were, but in some ways are closer to getting back there. Jose Gimenez is a giant, Joao Felix will be a star, and Saul, Thomas and Herrera is a serious piece of midfield. I fancy them.
These teams are not bad. Real’s rebuild hasn’t quite worked itself out yet, but that midfield, though past its best, is still that midfield. In attack, I’m not quite sure how that front three will work out – there’s a lack of oomph – but you can never underestimate Atletico’s propensity to shoot themselves in the solar plexus.
Make your mind up, son.
The teams
📝Our Super Cup final starting XI! #RMSuperCopa | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/JlVKoepGUT
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 12, 2020
[🏧👥] LINE-UP
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) January 12, 2020
1⃣1⃣ players representing the Atleti Family‼❕‼
🔴⚪#AúpaAtleti | #RealMadridAtleti
| 🏆 #Supercopa2020 | pic.twitter.com/u1J7VU8J22
Preamble
Why. Why? Why! WHY?! Yet here we are.
Without wanting to get too meta, for this is surely not a preamble about writing a preamble, it’s impossible to pick out the key element of this match in a hilarious, stylish and intensely poignant manner without alighting upon the sheer awfulness of what we’re about to enjoy. How can we focus on the football, when even the football isn’t focused on the football?
This might well be a good game – two huge teams running into decent form – but we cannot and must not be consumed by that, because that is what they want us to be. Let’s be better than them.
Kick-off: 6pm GMT
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