Real Madrid secured their place in the Spanish Super Cup final after overcoming Atletico Madrid, setting up another high-profile encounter with Barcelona.
An early moment of brilliance proved decisive in Jeddah, where Carlo Ancelotti’s team gained the upper hand and held firm despite heavy pressure later on.
The victory keeps Los Blancos on course for another trophy, as they prepare for Sunday’s decider scheduled for 19:00 GMT.
Lightning start and Rodrygo’s composure
The semi-final burst into life almost immediately, with Federico Valverde unleashing a spectacular long-range free kick just 77 seconds after kickoff. The effort flew beyond Jan Oblak and into the top corner, giving Real an instant advantage.
After the interval, Real struck again. Ten minutes into the second half, Rodrygo showed sharp control to bring down a pass from Valverde before slipping the ball past Oblak to extend the lead.
That second goal appeared to put Madrid in control, yet Atletico continued to push forward, refusing to let the contest slip away quietly.
Atletico pressure and late tension
Alexander Sorloth reduced the deficit by powering a header home at the far post, rising above Raul Asencio with over half an hour remaining. Despite making 22 attempts in total, that proved to be Atletico’s only successful finish.
The Norwegian forward had earlier missed a clear chance before the break when Conor Gallagher’s precise cross found him unmarked, while Julian Alvarez fired wide deep into stoppage time, extending his run without a league goal.
Real, missing the injured Kylian Mbappe, were forced into a tense closing spell. Vinicius Junior, still without a goal in 16 matches, and Rodrygo both had further openings, but the narrow margin held until the final whistle.
Clasico final awaits in Jeddah
The win earns Real Madrid a second Clasico of the campaign, having already defeated Barcelona 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in October.
Barcelona booked their place in the final with a dominant 5-0 victory over Athletic Club in Wednesday’s opening semi-final under Hansi Flick.
The Spanish Super Cup continues to be staged in Saudi Arabia, with the agreement between the RFEF and the host nation extending the tournament’s stay in Jeddah until 2029.
