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Real Madrid booked their place in the Spanish Super Cup final with a 2–1 win over rivals Atletico Madrid, relying on goals from Federico Valverde and Rodrygo and a heroic performance from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Played in Jeddah, the semi-final victory set up a high-profile final clash against FC Barcelona.
Action unfolded rapidly as Jude Bellingham was brought down outside the Atletico penalty area in just the second minute, earning Real Madrid a free kick.
Valverde struck the ball cleanly, sending a fierce rising shot past Jan Oblak to hand Real an early advantage.
Initially, Real Madrid pressed aggressively, preventing Atletico from settling into their rhythm. Gradually, however, Diego Simeone’s side found momentum and began to dominate possession and chances.
Despite Atletico’s attacking intent, Courtois stood firm with a string of impressive saves. Sorloth headed over from close range, while Julian Alvarez narrowly missed the target with a powerful attempt.
Moments later, Courtois stretched fully to keep out Alex Baena’s shot before producing a remarkable reflex save to tip Sorloth’s header over the bar from a corner. Soon after, Sorloth missed again with a header, and Courtois denied Baena once more, with Conor Gallagher firing the rebound wide.
Rodrygo Extends Real’s Advantage
Following the restart, Atletico emerged with renewed energy, pressing high and pushing Real deeper. Nevertheless, Real struck decisively in the 55th minute when Rodrygo collected Valverde’s precise through-ball and calmly finished past Oblak to double the lead.
Three minutes later, Atletico finally broke through as Sorloth powered home a header, reducing the deficit and injecting fresh belief into his side.
Sustained pressure from Atletico followed, but Courtois again proved decisive by pushing another Sorloth effort wide. Real Madrid were forced into defensive reshuffles, with Antonio Rudiger and Raul Asencio making way for Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia.
Although Atletico continued to attack, Courtois denied Antoine Griezmann, while late efforts from Marcos Llorente and Alvarez drifted narrowly wide, reflecting their inability to capitalise on dominance.
Ultimately, Real Madrid held on to seal a hard-earned victory, with Courtois’ performance standing out as the defining factor. His composure and shot-stopping ensured Atletico’s pressure went unrewarded.
Consequently, Real Madrid advanced to the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona, setting up another eagerly awaited El Clásico, while Atletico left the pitch frustrated after failing to convert their chances despite controlling large phases of the match.
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