Manchester United vs Real Madrid - as it happened: Los Blancos retain Super Cup trophy
Re-live all the action from the clash in Skopje, Macedonia
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester United face Real Madrid in the annual European curtain-raiser as the Europa League winners take on the reigning Champions League holders. Follow the latest here.
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Preview...
Arguably the two biggest teams in world football go head to head in the final of the Super Cup on Tuesday. The Champions League winners, Real Madrid, will be fighting for the first piece of real silverware of the season with Europa League victors Manchester United.
The teams will be managed by two equal giants, Madrid by Zidane and United by Madrid’s former manager Jose Mourinho. With those two at the helm it’s sure to be as much as a technical battle in the dugout as it is on the pitch.
It will be a real test for United, their first competitive game against a Champions League level club since their early exit in 2015. Mourinho’s men have struggled in the league, finishing a disappointing 6th place last season, but they’ll want to start the new season the same way they finished the last- with some silverware in hand.
Mourinho may have lifted the Europa league and League Cup last season, but despite leading Inter Milan and Porto to three different European Trophies, the Super Cup remains one of the only major European trophies to evade his hands - he’ll be hoping to change this.
Madrid, on the other hand, have had a poor pre-season, losing to both Man City and Barcelona. The European champions will be hoping to send a message to their domestic rivals to let them know they’re back in the game. With La Liga starting again in a week or so, the momentum will be welcomed.
And of course, no game would be complete without Cristiano Ronaldo dominating headlines both on and off the pitch. He faces his former club amongst increasing speculation that he’s due a move back there.
What time does it start and where can I watch it?
You can catch Manchester United vs Real Madrid on BT Sport 2 this Tuesday, with kick off being at 19:45 and coverage starting at 19:00.
It’s a big game for...
Zinedine Zidane. The Real Madrid manager doesn’t often grab headlines and his former teammates noted him to be a man of few words, but Zidane is rapidly making a name for himself as one of the best in the game. Already having a Super Cup, 2 Champions Leagues and a La Liga title under his belt, he’ll be looking to add another one to that Super Cup tally.
Best stat…
8 - The amount of years since Madrid have lost to an English club. 4-0 to Liverpool.
Remember when…
Not long ago United and Madrid met in a pre-season friendly. A lacklustre game which was summed up by possibly the worst penalty shootout you will ever see. Take a watch…
Player to watch…
Romelu Lukaku. United’s headline summer signing has had a good pre-season, bagging 3 goals in 6 games. This will be his first test as a player against a top class European club and with that huge price tag over his head he’ll be keen to show the fans where their money is going.
Past three-meetings…
United 1 (Ramos OG) Real Madrid 2 (Modric, Ronaldo), Champions League Round of 16, Second Leg, March 2013
United 1 (Welbeck) Real Madrid 1, (Ronaldo), Champions League Round of 16, First Leg, February 2013
United 4 (Beckham 2, Helguera OG, Van Nistelrooy) Real Madrid 3 (Ronaldo 3), Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg, April 2003
Form guide…
Manchester United: LDLDWW
Real Madrid: WLWWWW
Odds…
Manchester United to win: 11/4
Real Madrid to win: 1/1
Draw:5/2
(Odds provided by 888 Sport)
49 min: Real corner. Kroos delivers from the left but Valencia gets there first to nod the danger clear.
GOAL! Real Madrid 2-0 Manchester United (Isco, 52 min)
A fantastic bit of football sees Real double their lead. Isco picked up play inside United's box on the left before cutting inwards with a neat bit of trickery. After a slick one-two with Bale, he was through on goal and, opening up his body in the process, curled the ball into the bottom right corner to make it 2-0. Sublime.
55 min: Chance for Pogba - and Lukaku too! The Frenchman headed straight at Navas, following a delivery from the right, which the keeper managed to palm away into the path of the Belgian - a mere five yards out. But the forward couldn't keep his body over the ball and instead ended up firing it over the bar and into the crowd behind.
60 min: Another chance for Real as they tighten their grip on the game. This time it's Bale who gets played in from the right flank. Surging towards De Gea, he takes aim with his right boot and rattles the bar from close range.
GOAL! Real Madrid 2-1 Manchester United (Lukaku, 62 min)
United are back in, though whether or not they deserve to be remains to be seen. It was Matic who took the initial shot, letting loose with a low driven shot from outside the Real Madrid box that Navas pushed into the path of Lukaku once again. This time, though, the Belgian held his nerve to make amends for his earlier miss and slot home his first competitive goal for United.
66 min: Mkhitaryan intercepts a pass inside his own half before surging down the right flank. He ends up running down a cul-de-sac though and is quickly isolated by the Real defence. United don't seem to be committing enough men forward - probably out of fear of being caught on the counter by their opposition.
71 min: United corner but nothings comes of it. It's recycled before Rashford is brought down. Free-kick to Mourinho's men.
72 min: Rashford delivers but he fails to clear the first line of defence, with Benzema nodding the ball away.
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