Supercopa de España, Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid final score: Finish first leg in a 1-1 draw
By Mike Dyce
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are squaring off in the Supercopa de España. The game is a home-and-home series, with each team hosting a game and the winner determined on an aggregate score.
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The Supercopa de España pits the Copa del Rey winners, Real Madrid, against the La Liga winners, Atletico Madrid. It is also a rematch of the 2014 Champions League final, which was a Madrid derby. Real Madrid got the win in that final, which was a singular game at a neutral location.
Real Madrid was dominating possession and the game in the first half, but superstar Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t look like his normal self. At the break he was subbed off for James Rodriguez with a leg injury.
Things got a little testy as Real Madrid center-back Sergio Ramos and Atletico Madrid forward Mario Mandzukic went up for a ball in the air.
They both fell, and Mandzukic fell on Ramos, though it looked unintentionally. As Ramos was sitting to get up, he gave Mandzukic a little strike to the face.
Some how Ramos managed to escape with only a yellow card despite the protests and appeals of Mandzukic. If the play is reviewed, it could affect Ramos’ status and availability for the next game on Friday, played on the road.
In the 81st minute, James Rodríguez showed why he was the Golden Boot winner at the World Cup and why Real Madrid went out to acquire him. He scored to give Real Madrid the lead in the game with just minutes left. It is Rodrigeuz’s first goal with Real Madrid.
It didn’t last for long though, in the 87th minute Atletico Madrid’s Raul Garcia scored to tie the game up. He redirected a corner kick in on goal. Since it is a competition based on aggregate score, away goals are vital and they’ve scored one tying the game up.
They’ll play the second game at Atletico de Madrid on Friday.