Analysis: How Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
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Dani Carvajal's tremendous strike proved to be the difference between Real Madrid and Sevilla in Trondheim, but Daniel Thacker reckons there was more to the victory than the winner.
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Real Madrid produced another in their long line of famous European performances to lift the UEFA Super Cup, seeing off domestic rivals and UEFA Europa League winners Sevilla 3-2 after extra time in Trondheim. UEFA.com explains just how they did it.
Carvajal's desire
Dani Carvajal missed Spain's UEFA EURO 2016 campaign with an injury picked up in Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League final victory over Atlético Madrid, departing San Siro in tears on that memorable May evening.
It was his drive that won the UEFA Super Cup for his team. Having gained possession near the halfway line just as Sevilla were looking to break, the right-back turned quickly and slalomed his way through the Andalusian side's defence before calmly beating Sergio Rico.
Ramos's leadership
Perhaps the ultimate big-game player, Sergio Ramos delivered yet again on a major stage at the Lerkendal Stadion. The centre-back has now scored in three of Madrid's last four UEFA finals, with two of those goals coming in the 93rd minute.
"It's a very happy day for me, not only because of the title we won as a group but also on a personal level, being able to contribute at my best and scoring a goal in a final in the 93rd minute," he told UEFA.com afterwards. "This is a good memory."
Asensio's debut to remember
Marco Asensio's brilliant, goalscoring debut is an indication of his precocious talent. Hailed as one of Spain's brightest prospects, the 20-year-old opened the scoring with a fine left-footed effort from 20 metres.
It was not just Asensio's goal that caught the eye, though. Equally impressive was his appreciation of, and ability to find, space. Sevilla's defence struggled to pick him up time and again as he drifted infield from the left.
"He played a complete game," said Zinédine Zidane afterwards. "Not just because of his fantastic goal, but also because of his efforts in general."
The cantera core
Despite being known worldwide for their Galáctico policy and star names, Real Madrid began the UEFA Super Cup with four players who had turned out for the club's youth teams.
Carvajal, Álvaro Morata, Kiko Casilla and Lucas Vázquez came through the cantera system, with Ramos also including himself in the group to have been schooled in the Real Madrid way of winning trophies, whatever the cost – despite having learned his trade at Sevilla.
"I consider myself a home-grown player, given how long I've been here," Ramos said. "At Real Madrid you're always required to fight for everything. That's in Real Madrid's DNA – it's something I've known since the first day I came here. It's what players like Raúl, Michel Salgado and Iker Casillas teach you."