Real Madrid, of course. Winner of the Champions League in May, the Spanish club beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 on Wednesday August 10 in Helsinki to win the fifth UEFA Super Cup in its history, and start its season with a first title on the six to be won in total. A trophy which is added to the 97 already presented in the great wardrobe of Real, the most successful club in the world, in front of the 96 of Barça.

With the same eleven as the one lined up at the Stade de France in the Champions League final won against Liverpool on May 28, Carlo Ancelotti won his bet and became the first coach in history to accumulate four Supercups d ‘L ‘Europe.

As throughout the last Champions League campaign, it was the inevitable Karim Benzema who delivered Madrid in the 65^e Minute with a goal at the end of a daring cross from Vinicius in the area, after a first Madrid goal from David Alaba with a header, after a throw-in from Casemiro from a corner (38^e). The French centre-forward, huge favorite for the Ballon d’Or on October 17, became, thanks to his goal at the Olympic stadium in Helsinki, the second top scorer in the history of Real, surpassing the 323 goals of the Raul legend. Far still retained from the stratospheric 450 goals of the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ancelotti has ‘no more’ doubts about Benzema’s Ballon d’Or

« He is a very important player, a leader », an explicit after meeting Carlo Ancelotti. «  Now the file straight to the Ballon d’Or. Is there still a doubt? For me, none! », he added, confirming the general feeling.

This Super Cup also allowed Karim Benzema to equal the 23 titles gleaned by legend Paco Gento in the merengue jersey, and to win his first trophy as official captain of the « White House ».

His association with Vinicius, very active on the left side, has once again sparked. At the 17^e minute, Benzema let slip a ball transmitted by Valverde in the direction of the Brazilian, whose recovery was countered by the dazzling return of Tuta. And at the 37^eVinicius’ strike was close to Kevin Trapp’s right post.

Another great satisfaction on the Madrid side is precise Federico Valverde: the Uruguayan, aligned on the right wing as in the Champions League final, has evolved at a very high level, multiplying calls and overflows. Carlo Ancelotti was even able to offer their first official minutes to Aurélien Tchouaméni and Antonio Rüdiger, the two rookies of the Madrid off-season. The French is the entrance of the 85^e minute in place of legend Toni Kroos, and the German at the same time in place of Dani Carvajal.

Filling start of the season for Eintracht Frankfurt

But the people of Madrid, despite their apparent mastery, were however scared at the start: fifteen minutes into the game, Daichi Kamada, preferred to rookie Mario Götze in attack, was served deep, but stumbled against the Belgian goalkeeper of Real Thibaut Courtois, also very concentrated from the first minutes of the season.

« At the start of the season you can’t expect the team to be 100% already, but we won and started the season well.an appreciated Carlo Ancelotti. There’s a good atmosphere, and that good atmosphere, I believe it can help us get the best results, a better game. And winning helps motivate the players. »

For Eintracht, winners of the Europa League in May, this second consecutive defeat, after the heavy 6-1 defeat at the opening of the German championship on Friday against Bayern Munich, comes to weigh down the start of the season for Oliver Glasner’s men, who was slow to do between Randal Kolo-Muani (67^e in place of Jesper Lindstrom), dangerous as soon as he appears on the lawn. Deprived of Filip Kostic, leaving for Juventus, the Eagles could not do much against the Madrid monument.

« We didn’t take advantage of our chances. On arrival, Real Madrid was better and deserved to win (…) Real is another level, we knew that”admitted Oliver Glasner, the coach of Eintracht Frankfurt.

From now on, La Liga awaits Carlo Ancelotti and his men: Real will start their domestic championship on Sunday with a trip to Almeria.