Key Takeaways:
- Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana semi-final on Thursday night in Saudi Arabia
- Federico Valverde and Rodrygo scored for Real Madrid as Vinicius Jr failed to find the net for an eighteenth consecutive match
- Real Madrid will now face Barcelona in Sunday’s Supercopa de Espana final at King Abdullah Sport City
Match Overview and Tensions on the Touchline
Real Madrid progressed to the Supercopa de Espana final after a 2-1 win against city rivals Atletico Madrid in Thursday’s semi-final in Saudi Arabia. Federico Valverde opened the scoring with a spectacular free-kick before Rodrygo doubled the lead for head coach Xabi Alonso’s side. Despite Vinicius Jr extending his goalless run to 18 matches for both club and country, Los Blancos were able to avenge their earlier 5-2 defeat at the Estadio Metropolitano this season.
The fixture was not without drama, as Vinicius Jr clashed with Atletico manager Diego Simeone upon being substituted late in the match. According to reports, Simeone made a pointed remark, reportedly telling the winger, “Florentino [Perez] is going to fire you, remember that.” The altercation prompted Alonso to approach his opposite number on the touchline, with the Spanish press reporting that Alonso advised Simeone to “focus with your own team, damn it.”
🚨 Diego Simeone to Vinicius in the first half: "You’re going to get sacked by Florentino Pérez. Remember what I’m telling you.”
In the second half, Vini got subbed off and all Real Madrid fans in the stadium were whistling at him.
Diego Simeone tells him: "Listen, listen. 🧏♂️" pic.twitter.com/dcG1zNbHAj
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) January 8, 2026
Alonso’s Post-Match Perspective
After the match, Xabi Alonso expressed his displeasure at Simeone’s comments directed towards Vinicius. “I didn’t like the moment. Cholo said something to him, and those things go against the spirit you should have for your team-mates. I don’t like it when team-mates are spoken to like that. Not everything is acceptable… I spoke with Vinicius and it’s staying between us.”
“I try to be respectful to the opposing team’s players and I don’t usually speak to them. When I saw what he said, I liked it even less. That’s not a good example of sportsmanship. You have to respect your opponent. Everything that happens on the field has its limits.”
“You can’t talk like that. Some things cross the line.”
Valverde Shines, Vinicius Continues Search for Goals
Despite Vinicius Jr’s ongoing struggles in front of goal, Alonso was pleased with his team’s response and performance. He highlighted the importance of Federico Valverde’s contribution, both with his early goal and overall influence in the match.
“It was a very hard-fought match,” Alonso commented. “Fede’s early goal gave us the advantage and forced us to adjust our approach. We didn’t suffer too much in the first half. There were moments of everything because it was a semifinal, but this team knows how to compete. It was a very intense, hard-fought match. At 1-2, we had to change our approach, we settled down, and we suffered. This is the path to the title on Sunday, and we’re in the final. The goal was to reach the final against a very good opponent. We hadn’t forgotten the first league match. Things we needed: energy, duels, challenges.
“Yes, [the early goal] did affect the game. The idea was to understand what needed to be done at each moment. The important thing is the match and being in the final.
“Fede had a fantastic game. For the goal, the assist, what he brought to the team, linking up with his teammates, intense in defense. He has that competitive spirit. Goals aren’t the most important thing for him, but they give him energy. It was a classic Fede goal, with an impressive strike.”
Looking Ahead to the Supercopa de Espana Final
Real Madrid will now prepare to face their arch rivals Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana final at King Abdullah Sport City on Sunday evening. Hansi Flick’s Barcelona secured a commanding 5-0 victory over Athletic Club in their semi-final on Wednesday. Barcelona triumphed 5-2 in this fixture at last season’s semi-final stage, but Real Madrid emerged 2-1 winners when the clubs met at the Bernabeu in October.
Real are set to welcome Kylian Mbappe back to the squad following injury, while Barcelona are hoping that Lamine Yamal will be available following his own fitness concerns.
| Supercopa de Espana Results | Score | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid (Semi-Final) | 2-1 | Thursday | Saudi Arabia |
| Barcelona vs Athletic Club (Semi-Final) | 5-0 | Wednesday | Saudi Arabia |
| Real Madrid vs Barcelona (Final) | – | Sunday | King Abdullah Sport City |
