If Episodes II and III want to end the Madrid Trilogy on a high note, they will need to be extremely special. Not satisfied with facing each other three times in three different competitions over the course of three weeks, Atlético and Real went above and beyond by playing an extra half hour just for the thrill of it. Both teams scored three goals each, leading to a sixth consecutive knockout derby tie that went into extra time. In a thrilling and chaotic game, Jan Oblak, the Atlético goalkeeper, made one last attempt to equalize the score of 4-3 but ended up desperately chasing after Brahim Díaz who broke free and scored into an empty net in the 121st minute. This goal sent Díaz’s teammates rushing onto the field in celebration as they secured a spot in the final of the Spanish Super Cup.
The final match of an intense event was a perfect conclusion: a high-scoring game with plenty of excitement, featuring eight goals, two of which were exceptional and two of which were rather silly. Surprisingly, most of the goals were not scored by the usual players. While Antoine Griezmann did manage to become Atlético’s all-time leading scorer, it was unexpected for Mario Hermoso, Toni Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy, and Dani Carvajal, all defenders, to score. Additionally, there were two own goals from Kepa Arrizabalaga and Stefan Savic, with the latter ultimately giving Real an advantage in extra time to secure their victory. Just barely.
In the end, the initial encounter between these two teams, who will face each other in the Copa del Rey next week and the league in early February, saw a total of 30 shots and a score that went from 1-0 in favor of Atlético to 2-1 for Real, then from 3-2 for Atlético to 5-3 for Real. The outcome was not decided until the very end, when substitute Díaz was seen with his shirt off and everyone was trying to figure out what had transpired. The explanation involved a combination of factors, except for solid defense.
At the end, everyone was tired, but for most of the game, the skill level was exceptional. This was partly due to the enthusiasm of both teams, who seemed to be enjoying the game more than they will likely do in the next two games in Spain.
The play was evident from the beginning, particularly in the sequence that resulted in the first goal. Starting deep in one half and ending in the other, Koke passed to the outstanding Rodrigo de Paul, then to Griezmann and finally to Samuel Lino. Lino’s shot was deflected wide by Kepa. After a corner taken by Griezmann, Hermoso was left unmarked and headed Atlético into the lead. When Real later trapped Atlético in their own half, they repeated the same play, this time starting from their own left corner and ending at Real’s left post. Marcos Llorente’s pass found Álvaro Morata, but his shot hit the side-netting.
Real Madrid was having difficulty gaining control in the beginning stages of the match, but Atlético is familiar with their determination to not give up. As a result, they quickly took the lead. Jude Bellingham’s shot was deflected wide, and Rüdiger was able to score from the resulting corner with a header that was reminiscent of a similar goal scored in the European Cup final ten years ago in Lisbon. Interestingly, the corner was taken by the same player, Luka Modric.
Rüdiger scored for the second consecutive game and it was also the third consecutive goal for Real Madrid that came from a header at a corner. However, this streak did not continue for long. While this may sound like a typical occurrence, the manner in which it happened was anything but routine. In a cleverly executed play, Mendy skillfully flicked the ball with his ankle to give his team the lead. The crowd in Riyadh, where Real Madrid is considered the home team despite being 5,000km away, chanted in recognition of their team’s winning style. This type of play is not typically expected from a French full-back.
The goal was exquisite and perfectly captured the unfolding events. While the match lacked tension, the players made up for it with their impressive techniques. What happened next was even more remarkable. Griezmann used an incredible backheeled turn to deceive Aurélien Tchouaméni, Rüdiger, and particularly Modric. This move created a space out of thin air, which he quickly stepped into and fired a powerful right-footed shot past Kepa from the edge of the area. After retrieving the ball from the net, he handed it to Diego Simeone for safekeeping. This was the ball that marked his 164th goal for Atlético, surpassing any other player in the club’s history and bringing the team level in the semi-final.
Soon after, another moment of fantasy occurred when Rodrygo swiftly shifted his weight and moved his feet just as quickly as the Frenchman, leaving José María Giménez on the ground. Oblak, who was also falling in the opposite direction, managed to save the ball with his legs, gratefully reaching for it as it appeared to be heading towards the goal line. This was the 14th shot in a highly enjoyable first half, with nine of them being on target. As the second half began, Lino narrowly missed another shot that went just beyond the post. Then, Carvajal had a chance to score at the other end after being released by a fast free kick from Vinícius, but Oblak blocked his close-range volley.
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At that point, the level of noise increased as Toni Kroos, who had previously stated his reluctance to move to Saudi Arabia due to their human rights record, was continuously jeered whenever he had possession of the ball.
The tension would increase, despite the game’s slower pace. Atlético regained the lead with a bizarre and humorous goal 12 minutes before the end. Kepa attempted to punch a cross but ended up deflecting it onto Rüdiger’s leg and into the net. The goalkeeper argued that he was fouled, but it seemed like a desperate attempt to cover up his mistake – a mistake he couldn’t even hold onto.
However, he was eventually saved. With only six minutes remaining, Vinícius sprinted up the left side and charged into the penalty area. Oblak was able to block his initial shot, while Savic stopped Bellingham’s second attempt and Hermoso cleared the ball off the line. But Carvajal was quick to follow up and scored to tie the game 3-3. In the 91st minute, Brahim almost scored the winning goal, skillfully getting past Hermoso with a stepover move, but his shot missed the target. The game then went into extra time, where a clever fake from Ángel Correa led to a similar moment for Atlético.
Atlético appeared fatigued at the moment and could only make an attempt, which ultimately resulted in failure, to hold on. The manner in which it occurred was harsh and somewhat foolish, with Savic inadvertently deflecting the ball over his own goalkeeper and into the goal with only four minutes remaining before a potential penalty shootout. Griezmann’s subsequent shot narrowly missed the goalpost. In the final minute, as Atlético desperately pushed forward, so did their goalkeeper Oblak. However, they were forced to retreat and chase back as Brahim Díaz broke free, extinguishing their final opportunity to score.
Source: theguardian.com
