Real Madrid reach Supercup final after 8-goal thriller vs Atletico

In the 234th edition of the Madrid derby, the second held on Saudi Arabian soil, Real Madrid secured their spot in the Spanish Super Cup final with an exhilarating 5-3 victory over rivals Atletico Madrid in Riyadh.

Under Carlo Ancelotti’s guidance, Real Madrid sought to establish themselves in the match. After Alvaro Morata missed a golden opportunity to double Atletico’s lead, Real leveled the score in the 20th minute. Antonio Rudiger met Luka Modric’s well-placed corner, executing a powerful header beyond Jan Oblak.

Buoyed by this momentum, Los Blancos aimed for a quick second goal. Their positive approach paid off in the 30th minute when Dani Carvajal’s precise pass into the box was skillfully flicked into the far corner by Ferland Mendy.

Despite Real looking more dangerous in the final third, Atletico, managed by Diego Simeone, ensured they went into halftime on level terms. Griezmann cut inside Modric on the edge of the box and fired a clinical strike past Kepa Arrizabalaga.

With nothing to separate the two teams, both pushed for a late winner. Atletico believed they had found it when Kepa inexplicably punched Rodrigo Riquelme’s cross against Rudiger’s head and into the net. However, Real quickly equalized with five minutes left in regular time, as Carvajal blasted home following some last-ditch defending from Atletico, sending the match into extra time.

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🙌 We just love COMEBACKS! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/qqbLHit7hP

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 10, 2024

In the early stages of the additional 30 minutes, Ancelotti’s men held the edge, but clear-cut chances were scarce. However, with just four minutes remaining, there was a final twist as Joselu’s close-range header deflected off the unfortunate Stefan Savic, giving Real a late lead before Brahim Diaz scoring for the final 5-3 in the added time of overtime.