Thibaut Courtois came to Real Madrid’s rescue as they beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 on penalties to lift the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday.
The final of the Spanish Super Cup had every ingredient to make a perfect mouth-watering dish for the fans and also football enthusiasts in general. A cup finale is enough to raise the stakes between the two teams, but when it is a derby, the occasion takes a larger turn.
However, with everything said and done, it was a very dull affair, with both teams looking to cancel out each other in the midfield. Both teams struggled going forward and also took a lot of time before settling into the tempo of the game. There were odd chances here and there, but both sides were equally inefficient in front of goal.
It was rather a hard toil for 120 minutes from both sets of players. However, after the penalty shootout, it was Thibaut Courtois and Real Madrid who were crowned winners of the Spanish Super Cup miles away from home in Saudi Arabia. Here at The Hard Tackle, we present the Real Madrid player ratings from the night.
Thibaut Courtois: 9/10
Courtois recently found form in Real Madrid colours after his early slumber and his scintillating display at the Supercopa finale has suddenly made him the fan favourite. He was simply unbeatable throughout 120 minutes and even came up with a heroic save in the penalty shootout to win it for Los Blancos. Courtois has to be Real Madrid’s standout player in their Spanish Super Cup triumph.
Dani Carvajal: 6/10
A decent outing from the Spaniard, but definitely not one of his best. He combined well with Luka Modric and Federico Valverde and enjoyed a lot of possession, but his impact venturing forward was pretty much questionable. Defensively he was decent as he limited Saul Niguez’s abilities going forward and also kept Joao Felix at bay.
Sergio Ramos: 6.5/10
Just like his compatriot, Ramos also did not have a great outing. The Real Madrid captain was decent in most parts, but his lapse in concentration and wayward passing created trouble for Los Blancos late in the game.
Ramos had a tough time dealing with Alvaro Morata as the former Real Madrid forward kept him very busy. However, putting everything aside, he slotted home the winning penalty and added another trophy to his already illustrious cabinet.
Raphael Varane: 6/10
Very similar to his captain as Varane played out nicely from the back and kept the defence compact throughout the entirety of the game apart from the transitions, when Atletico Madrid had the upper hand. We have seen the Frenchman dominate in defence and carry out his duty with aplomb with several flawless performances, but tonight was not a one such display.
Ferland Mendy: 7/10
There were questions raised by fans about Zinedine Zidane’s interest in Ferland Mendy when he was at Lyon last season. There were questions about Marcelo’s future, but the Frenchman has answered all pf those with his solid and consistent performances.
Mendy is known for his defensive aptitude and he did everything in his power to keep Angel Correa quiet. Also tried putting in a shift in attack through his overlapping runs.
Casemiro: 6/10
The Brazilian midfield mainstay for Real Madrid had an uncharacteristic off day at the office. There were bad signs when Casemiro missed a glancing header totally unmarked in the box from a corner. On any other day, he would put it past Jan Oblak. However, he went about his business with diligence and controlled possession in the middle of the park.
Toni Kroos: 7/10
The German international simply cannot put a foot wrong with the kind of form he is in. It was a thorough masterclass from Kroos as he was exceptional with the ball and created some openings while combining well with Isco and Luka Modric, dictating the tempo of the game effortlessly. No goal this time, but he did what he does best.
Federico Valverde: 6.5/10
The star of the night for his selfless attitude to take one for the team was well appreciated by football fans all over the world. But as an overall display, he was nowhere near Courtois in terms of impact. Just like Casemiro, Valverde had the chance to head the ball home in the second half when the Uruguayan was completely unmarked in the box.
But, the chance went begging as it got deflected after hitting his knee. Keeping these aspects aside, he showcased tremendous match awareness and grit to take down Morata and end a great counter-attacking move, which had all the chances of taking the game away from Real Madrid.
Luka Modric: 7/10
The experienced Croat used all his experience in the transitional phases of the game. He was smart when Atletico tried piling the pressure and increase the tempo of the game. He initiated attacking moves and linked up well with Isco. Although there was no end product to show for it at times, his presence in the advanced midfield role made a lot of difference in the game yet again.
Isco: 6.5/10
Isco was the only player who offered something different to this awkward midfield dominated formation from Zidane. Real Madrid had no width in their play and Isco, who played in a free role, carried the ball forward on occasions and tried utilising the open pockets of space in the final third. He created some openings, which on any other day would have bulged the back of the net.
Luka Jovic: 5.5/10
The slumber continues for the Serbian striker, who was completely out of sorts in the first half. Jovic simply lacked that connect with his fellow teammates and had little to no impact in the first 45. However, he looked a lot lively in the second half, but scuffed a great opportunity after beating two Atletico Madrid defenders, although his shot brushed the far post on its way out.
Substitutions
Rodrygo Goes: 7/10
The introduction of Rodrygo changed the dynamics of Real Madrid as they required someone who could add that energy to the flanks and also run with the ball. The youngster added all that flair into the gameplay which was turning into a very drab affair. His excellent spot-kick under pressure proves that Rodrygo is here to stay.
Mariano Diaz: 6/10
Mariano replaced Jovic and was far better than the Serbian marksman. The Brazilian forward also added energy to the side and kept the Atletico Madrid defenders busy.
Vinicius Junior: N/A
Came on late in the game and hardly had the time and presence to make any worthwhile impact.