The Spanish giants added to their trophy haul with victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in Helsinki
Actual Madrid started their new marketing campaign the place they left off final season, including extra silverware to the Bernabeu trophy room by beating Germans Eintracht Frankfurt to elevate the UEFA Tremendous Cup at Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium.
French ahead Karim Benzema – who was on the crux of Actual’s Champions League-winning exploits final season – grew to become the membership’s second-highest scorer of all time as he sealed victory within the 65th minute after combining with Vinicius Junior.
Defender David Alaba had given Actual the lead within the 37th minute when he swept dwelling from shut vary after Casemiro had headed the ball right down to him.
The two-Zero win for Carlo Ancelotti’s crew meant a fifth UEFA Tremendous Cup in complete for Actual – a joint document alongside AC Milan and Barcelona.
It was additionally a document fourth private Tremendous Cup triumph for Ancelotti – twice with Actual and twice with Milan.
Europa League winners Eintracht had been spirited rivals and put up extra of a struggle than many had hoped, particularly after they got here into the match on the again of a 6-1 Bundesliga drubbing by Bayern Munich on the weekend.
However Actual progressively exerted management over the match, with Casemiro hitting the crossbar with one effort after Kevin Trapp had saved a deflected Vinicius Junior effort.
Benzema, 34, continues to age like a advantageous French wine and capped the win together with his strike after persevering with the link-up with Vinicius which proved so fruitful in profitable the Champions League and La Liga final season.
The purpose moved Benzema forward of Spanish nice Raul in Actual’s all-time checklist with 324 strikes.
Solely Cristiano Ronaldo stays above the Frenchman, with the Portuguese striker plundering 450 targets throughout his 9 years on the Bernabeu.
Actual supervisor Ancelotti hailed Benzema as a “crew chief” and argued his credentials for a maiden Ballon d’Or.
“If we’re right here it’s largely as a result of his deserves, he scored plenty of targets, he completed the season properly, he scored a purpose as we speak and now he’s going for the Ballon d’Or award,” mentioned the Italian.
Ancelotti has recommended his crew can struggle for all six titles they’re in competition for this season, and started with the identical line-up in Helsinki which beat Liverpool in Paris again in Might.
Learn extra
Dire straits however new signings: How did Barcelona ‘return from the lifeless’?
Nonetheless, new summer time signings Aurelien Tchouameni and Antonio Rudiger had been amongst these launched from the bench for his or her formal debuts.
“They’re used to taking part in collectively, they’re snug, they know one another,” mentioned Ancelotti.
“We didn’t play a spectacular sport, however we had been actually stable. Our typical. Eintracht had been very closed and we discovered it troublesome to search out our rhythm, however we did it properly then.
“It’s troublesome initially of the season to be in prime type however we now have gained to start out the season properly.”
Actual start their quest for a 3rd La Liga title in 4 years once they meet Almeria on Sunday – and past that will probably be concentrating on a 15th Champions League crown.
