Sports
Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao to win Spanish super cup
Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup by beating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 on Sunday as Luka Modric and a Karim Benzema penalty secured a comfortable victory in Saudi Arabia.
Modric’s curling finish towards the end of the first half and Benzema’s strike early in the second sealed the win for Madrid, who claimed their first trophy in Carlo Ancelotti’s second spell as coach.
Athletic had beaten La Liga champions Atletico Madrid to reach the final but were well beaten at the King Fahd Stadium by a slick, organised Real Madrid side, that have now lost only once in 20 matches.
They had brief hope in the 87th minute when they were awarded a penalty and Eder Militao was sent off, but Raul Garcia missed and Madrid’s win was safe.
Ancelotti’s side face Elche on Wednesday in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey and Paris Saint-Germain next month in the last 16 of the Champions League.
In La Liga, they are five points clear at the top of the table.
“It’s an impulse, an impulse to keep going,” said Ancelotti. “We don’t have much time to think because another competition is coming.”
Modric continued his brilliant form by scoring the opener, a goal that makes him the oldest goalscorer in Spanish Super Cup history at 36.
Real Madrid players celebrate with the winner’s trophy after winning the Spanish Super Cup final football match between Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid on January 16, 2022, at the King Fahd International stadium in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. FAYEZ NURELDINE / AFP
The 33-year-old Marcelo, meanwhile, came on for the last few minutes, before lifting his 23rd trophy at Real Madrid, equalling the haul of Paco Gento as the most successful player in the club’s history.
“He’s one of the greats, a legend of this club,” said Madrid president Florentino Perez.
Ancelotti now has five trophies as Real Madrid coach, adding a Spanish Super Cup to the Copa del Rey, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup he won during his first spell.
The Spanish Super Cup stayed in Spain in 2021 because of the pandemic but has returned to Saudi Arabia as part of an agreement until 2029 that will earn the Spanish football federation around 30 million euros a year.
Objections from players and coaches have been noticeably muted but Athletic Bilbao’s Raul Garcia spoke out last week. He said moving a Spanish tournament 7,000 kilometres away was symptomatic of the authorities “forgetting the basics of football”.
Criticism has been more forthright from human rights groups like Amnesty International, who have accused the federation of failing to support “harassed and persecuted women in Saudi Arabia” and of collaborating in Saudi “image-washing”.
Athletic’s Inaki Williams and Oihan Sancet looked dangerous early on, with Williams wanting a penalty when the ball struck the sliding David Alaba on the hand but referee Cesar Soto was not interested.
Despite Vinicius Junior’s imperious form in recent weeks, Madrid’s greatest threat came down the opposite side, through Rodrygo.
The first warning came when Kroos pinged the ball out to the Brazilian, who dropped it inside for Benzema and the striker’s curling shot flew just wide of Unai Simon’s far post.
The opener took a similar route, even if it started with Thibaut Courtois, who played out to Toni Kroos. Under pressure, Kroos found Casemiro and the ball shuffled along, through Modric and out right.
Rodrygo drove past two Athletic defenders afraid to challenge in the box and by the time Dani Garcia slid to block, it was too late, Rodrygo toeing the ball inside to Modric, who whipped the ball first time into the corner.
Seven minutes into the second half, it was two, as Yeray Alvarez leapt to block Benzema”s shot, stopping the ball with his outstretched right arm. The referee checked the monitor and gave the penalty, which Benzema fired left and in.
Hope for Athletic came late, and briefly, in the 87th minute, when Militao was sent off for blocking another Raul Garcia header towards goal and Athletic were awarded a penalty. But Raul Garcia missed, his drive down the middle met by the left foot of Courtois.
Former Arsenal star, Jack Wilshere, has sent a message to the Gunners ahead of their UEFA Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal will take on the French Ligue 1 giants in the Champions League final this year in Budapest on Saturday evening.
Mikel Arteta’s side had lost 3-1 on aggregate against PSG in the Champions League semi-final stage last year.
Speaking on TNT Sports (via GOAL), Wilshere remembered Arsenal about their last year’s defeat to PSG and urged them to use it as a revenge to get a win against Luis Enrique’s side when both sides meet again this weekend.
“Now that the Premier League is over the line, I know that the Premier League was the one. I know that Mikel wanted that. I know that the boys wanted that,” Wilshere said.
“Now you have to go through some tough times and learn from it. I hope that the Champions League semi-final [PSG 3-1 Arsenal] last year hurt them enough that they can go on and use that [against PSG].
“I think when you are on the pitch, and you are playing against your direct opponent, you learn so much about them. And to face them next year, they will be better for that.”
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, has said the team is determined to become the best women’s football team in the world.
Ajibade spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a reception hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in honour of the Falcons following their victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Nigerian ladies clinched their 10th continental title after a hard-fought campaign, further cementing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s team.
Ajibade, in an emotional speech, said the team’s goal goes beyond continental glory.
“We’re not content to rest on our laurels. Our vision is bold. We want to become the best women’s football team in the world,” the Atletico Madrid star said.
She described herself as “a proud daughter of Nigeria” and paid tribute to the dreams of young girls across the country who look up to the team.
“This victory is not just a trophy. It is a testament to the unyielding spirit of Nigeria. It is a celebration of every young girl in our villages, towns, and cities who dares to dream,” she said.
Ajibade, who spoke on behalf of the team, coaches, and technical crew, thanked the Federal Government for its support and appealed for continued investment in women’s football.
President Tinubu, in his address, conferred national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and the 11-member technical crew.
The President also approved the allocation of three-bedroom apartments to each team member under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and a cash reward of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player, while members of the technical team received $50,000 each.
He praised the Falcons for lifting the nation’s spirit and inspiring unity through their performance.
“You have inspired millions, especially young girls who now see proof that their dreams are valid and achievable,” Tinubu said.
“You have inspired me too. You represent the hope of today, tomorrow, and the day after. You ignited that hope. And we will continue to encourage you and the next generation.”
The President said the Falcons’ WAFCON victory was not just a sporting feat but a symbol of the courage, discipline and resilience that define Nigerians.
“Your victory represents more than a sporting accomplishment. It is a triumph of courage, determination, discipline, and consistency,” he said.
The reception was attended by top government officials, sports administrators, and stakeholders in the football community.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Super Falcons on their historic 3-2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
The Falcons, who came from two goals down to seal the win in Rabat, clinched their 10th WAFCON title—further cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition. Reacting to the victory, Oseni described the performance as “a warrior’s triumph that speaks volumes about the indomitable Nigerian spirit.”
In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the team’s resilience should serve as a symbol of hope and unity for the entire nation. “They refused to surrender. That comeback from two goals down defines who we are as Nigerians—strong, focused, and unstoppable when united,” he said.
The Falcons had gone behind in the 13th minute when Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak capitalised on a loose ball to fire past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. The hosts doubled their lead through Sanaâ Mssoudy before halftime, putting Nigeria on the back foot before the break.
However, second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini turned the game on its head, securing victory for Coach Justin Madugu’s side and avenging their 2024 semi-final loss to the North Africans. Oseni also hailed Madugu’s tactical brilliance, describing him as “the architect of a new chapter in women’s football in Nigeria.”
The lawmaker who also chairs the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) joined other national figures, including President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in celebrating the Falcons. The President had earlier taken to his verified social media accounts to praise the team’s performance, declaring, “Mission X: Complete!” while Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, described it as a flawless display of Nigerian spirit.
Oseni urged the Falcons not to rest on their laurels but to build on the momentum ahead of their title defence and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “This is just the beginning. You have inspired millions of girls across the continent. Keep flying the flag and keep making Nigeria proud,” he added.
He also called on sports authorities and private stakeholders to invest more in women’s football, noting that the team’s success was proof of the untapped potential in the sector. “We have global stars in the making. Now is the time to give them the platform and support they truly deserve,” the lawmaker submitted.
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