Real Madrid Overcome Atletico Madrid to Secure Spot in Supercopa Final

Real Madrid staged a remarkable comeback in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against city rivals Atletico, securing a 5-3 victory in extra time. Defender Stefan Savic's own goal and a late strike from Brahim Diaz were instrumental in Real's comeback. The result sets up a final showdown for Real Madrid against the winners of the Barcelona vs Osasuna clash on Sunday.

The intense rivalry, the thrilling comeback, and the high stakes combined to make this match arguably the highlight of the Spanish season. Two fearless teams battled it out for 120 minutes in a breathtaking derby.

Real manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed his admiration for the spectacle, stating, "It was spectacular, but we don't enjoy matches like this. The physical toll has been immense because we are two very strong teams who have given everything."

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Atletico, who previously handed Real their only defeat of the season in September, started the game strongly. Brazilian winger Samuel Lino came close to opening the scoring with a curling strike that was saved by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

However, there was nothing Kepa could do when Antoine Griezmann delivered a corner into the box and defender Mario Hermoso rose above everyone to powerfully head the ball past the keeper, giving Atletico the lead in the seventh minute.

Griezmann continued to make his mark, surpassing Atleti legend Luis Aragones as the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 174 goals across his two spells in Madrid. His individual brilliance resulted in a fantastic long-range strike to restore Atletico's advantage in the 37th minute.

Real fought back through an Antonio Rudiger header from a Luka Modric corner in the 20th minute, followed by a close-range strike from Ferland Mendy. The match remained intense and captivating as both teams showcased their determination and skill throughout the game.

The first half ended with the scores level as Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak made an incredible save with his legs to deny a close-range strike from Rodrygo.

Real Madrid capitalized on Atletico's vulnerable right side of defense, with Vinicius Junior taking advantage of a quick free kick to set up Dani Carvajal for a powerful shot, brilliantly saved by Oblak.

Atletico regained the lead in the 78th minute through a bizarre sequence of events. Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga's attempted clearance struck his own teammate, Rudiger, and ended up in the back of the net.

Real Madrid responded once again, as Dani Carvajal found the back of the net after Oblak made two impressive saves from Vinicius and Jude Bellingham.

85' | Real Madrid - Atleti

Goal for Real Madrid. Scored by Carvajal.

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) January 10, 2024

As the match seemed destined for a penalty shootout, Atletico suffered a devastating blow five minutes from the end of extra time. Joselu's header deflected off Savic and into Atletico's own net, giving Real Madrid the advantage.

In the dying moments of the match, Brahim Diaz sealed the victory for Real Madrid with an empty-net finish on a counter-attack. Oblak had ventured up to Real's box in a desperate attempt to equalize from a corner, leaving the Atletico goal exposed.

"I told my players that I'm really proud of them, they played a great game and we were very close, but it was an unfortunate outcome," Atletico manager Diego Simeone said after the game.

The city rivals will face each other once again in the upcoming weeks. Atletico Madrid will host Real Madrid in an elimination game in the Copa del Rey last 16, followed by a LaLiga match at the Santiago Bernabeu three weeks later.

Regarding the rematch, Atletico manager Diego Simeone stated that they will discuss it internally. He acknowledged that there are positive aspects to evaluate from their performance. Simeone also admitted that he takes responsibility for any defensive shortcomings. Looking ahead to the upcoming game, he emphasized that it is not about seeking revenge but rather a different challenge as it is a knockout game.

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