Real Madrid booked their place in the Spanish Super Cup final with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over city rivals Atlético Madrid in a thrilling semi-final clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Early and late goals from Fede Valverde and Rodrygo proved enough, despite a spirited Atlético fightback, setting up a final showdown with Barcelona on Sunday night.
Blistering Start and Stubborn Resistance
The match exploded into life after just 77 seconds when Valverde fired Real into a stunning lead. From a contentious free-kick 25 yards out, the Uruguayan midfielder unleashed a fierce, rising drive that arrowed past a poorly positioned wall and Atlético's Jan Oblak. The early goal, however, did not lead to Real dominance. Instead, Atlético took control of possession and began to exert significant pressure on a Real defence that dropped increasingly deep.
Thibaut Courtois was called into action multiple times, making excellent saves from Álex Baena and a near-post header from Atlético's towering striker, Alex Sørloth, who also somehow headed over from close range. Real's best chance of the half came on a rapid counter-attack led by Rodrygo, but his finish was weak, allowing Oblak to save comfortably.
Rodrygo Strikes Before Immediate Atlético Response
The pattern of Atlético pressure continued after the break, but Real delivered a classic sucker-punch to double their lead. A sharp pass from Valverde found Rodrygo, who escaped his marker and coolly slotted past Oblak in the 55th minute. The relief was short-lived for Carlo Ancelotti's side. Almost straight from the restart, Atlético hit back. The lively Giuliano and Marcos Llorente combined down the right before a clipped cross found Sørloth, who powered a header home to make it 2-1 with an hour still to play.
Final Whistle Drama and El Clásico Awaits
The goal set up a tense and tiring finale. Real's defence, already under strain, was further disrupted by injuries to Antonio Rüdiger and Raúl Asencio, forcing a major reshuffle. Atlético pushed relentlessly for an equaliser. Courtois saved brilliantly from an Antoine Griezmann overhead kick, Llorente curled a shot just wide, and Aurélien Tchouaméni produced a last-ditch block to deny Griezmann again.
The drama peaked in the 96th minute. In what proved to be the final action, a shot from substitute Julián Alvarez flashed agonisingly across the face of goal, just evading a stretching Griezmann at the far post. The miss sealed Atlético's fate, allowing Real to hold on for a narrow victory.
The win provides a significant boost for manager Xabi Alonso, whose position had been under scrutiny, and sets the stage for a mouth-watering Super Cup final against Barcelona this weekend. For Diego Simeone's Atlético, it was another painful derby defeat despite a performance that arguably deserved more.
