Real Madrid have marked a glorious start to 2022 as they defeated defending Spanish Super Cup holders Athletic Bilbao to clinch their 12th title. The record Spanish champions were in no mode of giving Marcelino's men any chance with goals from Luka Modric and then Karim Benzema settling the tie in Riyadh to win 2-0. The win sees Real Madrid just one behind Barcelona in terms of Super Cup glory as their famous rivals still have 13 to their name.
Perfect start to a perfect night
The Los Blancos were firing on all cylinders but needed the patience to unlock the Athletic defense. An inspired run by Rodrygo in the 38th minute saw him pick up Luka Modric at the edge of the Athletic penalty area; from where the Croatian wasn't didn’t miss. The beautifully taken shot set the night for Real as they opened the scoring.
New Year, Same old Benzema
The 1-0 halftime lead didn't take long to get double as Karim Benzema slotted home from the penalty spot. The penalty awarded looked like a contemptuous decision by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), but Real were already cruising by the hour mark. More chances followed, but Unai Simon somehow managed to keep track of the Real attack.
Athletic miss crucial penalty as Real end with 10 men
With three minutes from time, the cup holders somehow managed to find a way back when defender Eder Militao was accused of handball in the area and was sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. The resultant penalty could have set a perfect and thrilling end, but only for former Atletico Madrid player Raul Garcia to miss from 12 yards.
The result now means that Carlo Ancelotti has won his first trophy back at the helm of the record Spanish and European champions. The Italian had earlier won Champions League, Club World Cup, Copa del Rey with the club. The win means the 13-time European champions are still going strong in all competitions and can win all the titles available. They sit top of the La Liga standings, while they face Elche in the Copa del Rey and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League R16.
