UEFA Super Cup Preview
On Tuesday, the 8th of August two of world football’s most supported clubs Real Madrid and Manchester United will face off in the UEFA Super Cup Final.
The two have already competed against each other in their separate tours of the United States. The match saw an unentertaining 1-1 affair end with United winning via a truly dreadful penalty shootout, despite missing three of their penalties compared to Madrid’s four.
It will be the first time that Jose Mourinho will face his former club in a competition since his departure from the Santiago Bernabéu in 2013. During this time, Mourinho won three honours with the team, including the La Liga title in 2010/11.
A reunion unlikely to happen will be that of the outstanding bookmakers favourite for this year’s Ballon d’Or, Cristiano Ronaldo, who left United in the summer of 2009.
In June, it was rumoured that the Portuguese player was set to be given an extended summer break from his club after playing a pivotal role in a season which saw the Madridista’s win both La Liga and their 12th European Cup. Ronaldo contributed a staggering 42 goals and 12 assists in all competitions.
How the two teams got there
Both the winners of the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League make up the participants in the UEFA Super Cup.
Real Madrid became the first ever side to win back to back Champions Leagues last season since the competition’s rebrand in 1992.
They’ll be looking to claim back to back UEFA Super Cup titles too, after beating Spanish compatriots Sevilla in last season’s final. Goals from Marco Asensio, Sergio Ramos and Dani Carvajal helped Madrid see off Sevilla 3-2 in extra time to lift the trophy in Trondheim’s Lerkendal Stadion.
United’s 2-0 victory over Ajax in last season’s Europa League Final secured their place not only in this season’s Super Cup, but the 2017/18 Champions’ League group stages too. It was the first time the club had won the competition after failing to win it in its UEFA Cup format.
Venue
The location for this year’s Super Cup final will be at Skopje’s Telekom Arena, formerly known as the Philip II arena. This will be the first time ever that a UEFA club competition final has been held in Macedonia.
The stadium has a capacity of 33,460 and is the home of Macedonian clubs FK Vardar and FK Rabotnicki, as well being the home of the Macedonia National Team.
The stadium initially opened in 1947, but after undergoing redevelopment it opened once again in 2005.
United face a midweek flight of more than 1,500 miles back home before their first game of the Premier League season against West Ham United the following Sunday.
How both sides have fared in the Super Cup
This seasons participants Real Madrid have won the competition three times in 2002, 2014 and last season. Their victories have come against Feyenoord and Sevilla, who they’ve beaten on two occasions.
Only Barcelona and Milan have a better record in the competition, with both sides winning it five times.
United will be on the hunt to win their first Super Cup since the 1991 triumph against Red Star Belgrade.
The last time the Manchester side appeared in the Super Cup was back in the 2008 final where UEFA Cup holders Zenit Saint Petersburg pulled off a shock to defeat the Champions League winners 2-1 in Monaco. They were also beaten by a Marcelo Salas’ goal in the 1999 final, with Lazio running out the victors in a 1-0 win.
Where the game will be won and lost
United have already suffered a significant blow ahead of the affair in Macedonia, with Eric Bailly being given an extended ban after his red card in the second leg of last season’s Europa League Semi-Final, meaning he’ll miss out on the final.
United new boy Victor Lindelof, a £31 million signing from Benfica, has had a testing pre-season but will be expected to start the final. Bailly’s absence could significantly disrupt the United back four, with fellow centre-half Chris Smalling potentially heading for the Old Trafford trap door.
Real however are likely to be missing their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo. Arguably the biggest threat to a weakened United defence, Ronaldo’s absence will mean the likes of Karim Benzema and long term United target Bale will have to step up and take responsibility for punishing a hardly consistent United back four.
If Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are given the nod by Madrid manager Zinidene Zidane, their role could prove pivotal with both players excelling when it comes to controlling the tempo of the game. If they can play to the best of their abilities, United could be left to chase most of the game and will have to hope for opportunities where they can break on the Madrid back four.
Who are bookies favourites?
Free bets are available with many bookmakers across the UK, and with this game being one of the first games of the new season, punters will be looking closely at this match after their hiatus over the summer.
Real are seen as the favourites amongst UK bookmakers with odds on them to win ranging from 4/5 to 17/20 whilst Manchester United’s odds to win the match within 90 minutes range from 3/1 to 10/3.
Odds on the game to go into extra time and potentially being decided on penalties range from 12/5 to 11/4.
This game is surely going to generate a lot of interest amongst football fans across the globe, and with new signings to analyse and some of the world’s best stars on show, the match should be an intriguing encounter.