Real Madrid beats Athletic Bilbao, wins Spanish Super Cup
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Real Madrid has won its 11th Spanish Super Cup, defeating Athletic Bilbao 2-0, who had won against the La Liga champions to make it to the finals.
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Real Madrid players lifting the Spanish Super Cup trophy at King Fahd Stadium after beating Athletic Bilbao January 16, 2022, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Real Madrid has won the Spanish Super Cup, winning 2-0 on Sunday against Athletic Bilbao in Saudi Arabia.
Read about the world's view on Saudi Arabia hosting sporting events
The royal club won thanks to Croatian star Luka Modric, who scored minutes before the end of the first half at 38', and French Algerian star Karim Benzema, who scored a goal for his team through a penalty kick at 58'.
Bilbao had beaten La Liga champions Atletico Madrid to reach the final and verse Real Madrid, but they were defeated by the 11-time champions at the King Fahd Stadium, who only suffered one loss in 20 matches.
Saudi Arabia's latest sportswashing round
Nonetheless, the Royal club's victory seems quite amiss, as Amnesty International called on Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao to take a stand over women's rights in Saudi Arabia during their stay for the Super Cup.
Amnesty accused the Spanish football federation of failing to support "harassed and persecuted women in Saudi Arabia" and of collaborating in Saudi "image-washing."
In 2021, the Spanish Super Cup was hosted in Spain due to the pandemic; however, it has returned to Saudi Arabia as part of an agreement until 2029, gaining the Spanish football federation some 30 million euros a year.
Players and coaches have objected to the transition, but their voices were muted; yet, Athletic Bilbao's Raul Garcia spoke out last week, saying moving the Spanish tournament 7,000 km away was "symptomatic of the authorities forgetting the basics of football."
Read: 2021 Roundup: Sportswashing human rights violations
Ancelotti's spell renews
Modric's opener made him the oldest goalscorer in Spanish Super Cup history at 36.
This was the royal club's first trophy under Carlo Ancelotti's second spell as coach; however, as the Spanish Super ended, the Copa del Rey is still up for the taking.
Ancelotti's team is facing off against Elche on Wednesday in the cup's quarter-finals. Another major match awaits La Casa Blanca, as they are facing Paris Saint-Germain next month in the last of 16 of the Champions League.
Meanwhile, they are five points clear at the top of the La Liga standings.
Real Madrid has won five trophies under Carlo Ancelotti, adding this title to the Copa del Rey, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup he won during his first tenure as coach.
