Athletic Club 0-2 Real Madrid: Player scores as Los Blancos give up trophy drought

Real Madrid earned their first piece of silverware for 18 months on Sunday night, as they beat Athletic Club 2-0 inside the Supercopa final.

Their 12th Supercopa name become secured by desires from Luka Modric and Karim Benzema either side of half time, and never honestly seemed in doubt as they showcased their advanced attacking risk all nighttime.

In what changed into a reasonably open but tentative beginning to complaints, it become Carlo Ancelotti's facet that carved out the higher possibilities. Benzema and the Brazilian trio of Rodrygo, Eder Militao and Casemiro all supplied moments of excitement for Real Madrid, before their first-half of ascendancy sooner or later paid dividends after 38 mins.

The deadlock-breaking opportunity changed into created by way of the direct running of Rodrygo, who'd been a thorn in Bilbao's facet during the hole period. Collecting Modric's skip and surging down the right flank, the younger winger had the presence of mind to reduce to the Croatian maestro, who clinically swept the ball into Unai Simon's top corner.

Real's manage of the suit did not cease after the c programming language, as Ancelotti's facet had been presented a penalty inside 5 mins of the restart. The referee pretty harshly overturned his authentic selection to present not anything, following a assessment of Yeray Alvarez's handball from Benzema's aim-sure shot.

The choice become contentious however once Benzema stepped as much as take the spot kick, the outcome was some thing however. The Frenchman emphatically struck the ball into Simon's facet-netting, doubling his facet's lead.

Marcelino's men eventually loosened their shackles and pressed difficult in search of a direction lower back into the game. Enjoying a period of domination towards the latter ranges, Bilbao had been awarded a penalty of their personal in the 85th minute whilst Militao by accident blocked Raul Garcia's headed attempt on the road with his hand.

Following the Brazilian centre-lower back's dismissal, Garcia stepped as much as take it however became denied by means of a sensational stop from Thibaut Courtois, who prevented what might have been a nervy finishing to the suit and secured the two-0 win.

Putting a victorious stop to the competition taking region in Saudi Arabia, Ancelotti's side will now go back to Spain to stand Elche in the Copa del Rey,

Thibaut Courtois (GK) - 8/10 - Characteristically commanding in his container and produced a terrific penalty keep to preserve a clean sheet. Lucas Vazquez (RB) - 6/10 - Got upfield to right impact at instances, linking properly with teammates, although couldn't produce something meaningful. Eder Militao (CB) - 5/10 - Was in large part top notch for the duration of, but was mightily unfortunate to deal with the ball on his own intention-line and ultimately see crimson. Would have had a much better rating without that sour ending to his game. David Alaba (CB) - 7/10 - Was sat on his at the back of by means of a beautiful little bit of skill from Inaki Williams in the opening seconds however become very solid thereafter, making some essential interventions to cover his colleagues. Ferland Mendy (LB) - 6/10 - Pretty steady on the back foot but, as in the semi-very last, turned into underwhelming going ahead.