Atletico Madrid have won the Spanish Supercopa after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Real Madrid.
With the two-legged tie finely poised at 1-1 from Tuesday night’s first meeting at the Bernabeu, Mario Mandzukic’s early goal has given Diego Simeone’s team a 2-1 aggregate victory.
Simeone himself endured an evening to forget, being sent to the stands for patting the referee’s assistant on the head after heated remonstrations. He will likely face repercussions.
On the pitch, want-away winger Angel Di Maria was left out of the Real Madrid squad, while Iker Casillas again started in goal ahead of Keylor Navas.
Cristiano Ronaldo meanwhile was left on the bench as a precaution to a slight back injury.
The hosts and League champions fielded new attacking duo Antoine Griezmann and Mandzukic together, while Tiago also replaced Mario Suarez.
Simeone’s side came flying out of the traps straight from the kick-off, with only some last ditch Blancos defending preventing Mandzukic getting a shot off within 30 seconds.
They didn’t learn their lesson, however, and barely a minute later the Croatian was played in again. This time, he was able to let fly and did so to deadly effect, rifling the ball beyond Casillas from the edge of the area and sending the home faithful wild.
Following their early burst, Atleti were happy to sit back and allow their cross city rivals to almost entirely dictate possession, but Carlo Ancelotti’s star-studded line-up could not fashion a chance of note until the 25th minute.
Some neat interplay on the Blancos right ended with Daniel Carvajal playing in James Rodriguez, but the World Cup golden boot winner’s curling left-footed effort was well kept out by home keeper Miguel Angel Moya.
Not long after, Simeone was given his marching orders after remonstrating with the referee’s assistant a little too exuberantly, patting him on the back of the head. The Argentine was unhappy that Juanfran had not been allowed back onto the pitch quickly enough after receiving treatment.
Just over five minutes before the break, Gareth Bale went close for Ancelotti’s team when he found space on the edge of the home box, but dragged his shot narrowly wide.
Raul Garcia had a golden opportunity just before the break to double Atletico's lead, but he blazed over. Rodriguez also went close again at the other end but Los Blancos lacked incisiveness.
Ronaldo was introduced from the bench immediately after the restart as Ancelotti looked for fresh impetus. The European champions were lucky, however, not to fall two down minutes later.
Koke’s right-footed free-kick landed perfectly on the head of Garcia, but his effort bounced agonisingly down off the underside of the crossbar.
Garcia then continued his individual quest for a goal, but was once again narrowly off target when he flashed an effort wide from distance.
Ancelotti threw on both Isco and Marcelo in his search for an equaliser, but Atletico enjoyed far more possession than in the opening period and had the better of the chances.
Koke’s swerving effort flew marginally over before Griezmann should have done better when through on goal.
In truth, Madrid failed to put their hosts under any sustained period as Atletico saw out the final stages relatively comfortably. It means the Rojiblancos claim the first domestic silverware of the new season, with both teams now turning their attention to their respective La Liga openers on Monday night.
Atletico Madrid 1 – 0 Real Madrid (2-1 on aggregate)
Mandzukic 2 (A)
Atletico Madrid:Moyá; Juanfran, Miranda, Godín, Siqueira; Tiago, Gabi; Koke, Raúl García, Griezmann (Jimenez 75), Mandzukic (Rodriguez 85).
Real Madrid: Casillas; Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Coentrao (Marcelo 71); X. Alonso, Modric, Kroos (Ronaldo 46); James (Isco 66), Bale, Benzema.
