Real Madrid players celebrate with the trophy after the UEFA Super Cup football match between Real Madrid vs Eintracht Frankfurt in Helsinki, on August 10, 2022. – Real Madrid won the match 2-0. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP) (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)
Another European final, another trophy in the cabinet for La Liga giant Real Madrid.
Madrid topped Bundesliga’s Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in the 2022 UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday to make it five trophies all-time in the competition:
David Alaba opened the scoring for Madrid in the 37th minute. On a corner kick, two headers found Alaba in front of a wide-open net, and he easily slotted it home with his dominant foot.
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The second goal didn’t come until the 65th minute, but it was a familiar source who delivered the goods for Madrid. Karim Benzema, who was chosen as captain for Los Blancos for the first time since joining the team in 2009, found the back of the net from just inside the penalty box.
The goal also made Benzema the second-highest all-time leading goalscorer for Madrid, passing Raúl in the category. Only Cristiano Ronaldo has more.
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The UEFA Super Cup pits the recent winner of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League together to see which of the two will reign supreme. Madrid had won the former competition after beating Liverpool while Frankfurt defeated Scottish side Rangers F.C. in penalties to win the latter.
Madrid now ties AC Milan and Barcelona for most Super Cup wins at five. Carlo Ancelotti also made history as he became the first manager to win four Super Cup titles.
Next up for Madrid is the new La Liga campaign beginning on Aug. 14. Los Blancos will be hoping to defend its title from last season. For Frankfurt, the new Bundesliga campaign got off to a horrific start as reigning 10-time champions Bayern Munich drubbed the side 6-1. Frankfurt will be hoping to brush both this loss and the loss to Bayern aside in hopes of returning to Europe’s biggest games in 2023.
