Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) (AFP)

Courteous, until the end of the night: thanks to its immense goalkeeper, Real Madrid snatched its 11th Spanish Super Cup, its first trophy of the year, by dominating Atlético Madrid 0-0, 4-1 to penalty shootout on Sunday in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).

First saved by the Belgian, who stopped the shooting on goal of Thomas Partey, the players of Zinédine Zidane gleaned their first Supercup since 2017, thanks to their captain and last shooter Sergio Ramos.

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.

Courtois, thanks to a beautiful save from the surprise direct free kick by Partey (90th + 3), sent the match into overtime ... as in the last four single match finals disputed between the two teams from Madrid (Coupe du king in 2013, Champions League 2014 and 2016, and UEFA Super Cup 2018).

- Masterful Oblak too -

But still lucid at the 110th minute, Oblak released an exceptional double-parade to respond to the stop of the foot of the Belgian doorman on the acrobatic resumption of Morata, four minutes before, and his firmness in front of Angel Correa (118th).

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).

Thank you Courtois, yes. Because Real in the final had nothing to do with the one who sublimated against Valencia (3-1) in the semifinals on Thursday.

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.

- Invincible Zidane -

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.

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".

In the wake of its doorman, Atlético, continued to cultivate its catchy, battling side, by offering a good resistance and by working against.

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.

And add a new trophy to the collection already loaded by 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 at Real (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.

© 2020 AFP