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Real Madrid won their first trophy of the season, the first Super Cup since 2017. January 12, 2020 REUTERS / Sergio Perez

Thanks to his goalkeeper's immense performance, Real Madrid snatched its 11th Spanish Super Cup, its first trophy of the year, by dominating Atlético Madrid 0-0, 4-1 on penalties on Sunday in Jeddah ( Saudi Arabia).

But what a duel of guards! More than a derby, more than a Real-Atlético, it was Jan Oblak against Thibaut Courtois: Sunday, the final of the Spanish Supercup quickly turned into a standoff between two of the best goalkeepers in the world. Two goalkeepers with magic gloves, impassable for 120 minutes, who pushed the match to the penalty shootout with their countless parades.

It was ultimately Thibaut Courtois who came out victorious in this showdown, despite the red card inflicted on the sacrificed but brilliant Federico Valverde (elected man of the match), for a deliberate foul on Alvaro Morata, who spun on goal (115th).

Benzema, Bale and Hazard absent

Possession of an overwhelming ball, of course, but almost serious errors (Ramos, 14th), and a striking immobility in the last thirty meters: Zinedine Zidane's men lacked movement to destabilize the solid "rojiblanco" block ...

Recalling, by the same token, the glaring absence of stars Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard, convalescent. The young Serbian center-forward Luka Jovic (22), who arrived this summer in Madrid and positioned alone in the lead as in the semifinal on Wednesday, tried to stir the game, with three chances in five minutes (48th, 51st , 53e), including a strike that leveled the left upright of Jan Oblak.

🏆🎉👏 ¡Empezando el 2020 de la mejor forma! #RMSuperCopa | #Supercampeones pic.twitter.com/LtrmbKOiqT

Real Madrid CF⚽ (@realmadrid) January 12, 2020

But neither the distant attempts of Casemiro (5th) or Luka Modric (8th), nor the heads of the same Casemiro (43rd), Mariano (89th) or Valverde (67th), with this incredible missed, will not succeed in worrying Captain Oblak , impeccable in its outings to the end (82nd, 87th, 90th + 1), and transformed into a real metronome of the "Colchoneros".

Invincible Zidane

With this new success, the Galactics confirm their excellent start to the season, and open a radiant end to the season, with, in the crosshairs, the knockout stages of the Champions League against Manchester City, starting on February 26, and the Clasico back on March 1st.

It is also a new trophy to the collection already loaded by the French technician Zinédine Zidane: returned in March 2019 on the Madrid bench, "Zizou" extends his impressive series of 10 finals won in a row, and is 10 titles won as coach Real Madrid (Spanish champion in 2017, Super Cup in 2017 and 2020, Champions League in 2016, 2017 and 2018, UEFA Super Cup in 2016 and 2017, and Club World Cup in 2016 and 2017.