Athletic Bilbao knocked out defending champion Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup with a 2-1 win on Thursday, setting up a final against Barcelona.
Raúl García scored two first-half goals to put Athletic in Sunday’s final in Seville against the Catalan club, which beat Real Sociedad in a penalty shootout in the other semifinal on Wednesday.
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Athletic Bilbao knocked out defending champion Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup with a 2-1 win on Thursday, setting up a final against Barcelona.
Real Madrid was going for its 12th Spanish Super Cup trophy.
“We played a very tough opponent but we knew we could come through with the victory,” said García, who was sent off less than 15 minutes into Athletic’s 3-1 loss to Madrid in the Spanish league in December. "We played a great match."
“They got off to a good start and we struggled to get going,” Madrid's Marco Asensio said. “They gained confidence after the first goal and we were not able to recover.”
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Athletic Bilbao's Inigo Martinez, top front, goes for a header with Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Real Madrid's Eden Hazard gestures during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez, left, vies for the ball with Athletic Bilbao's Iker Muniain during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Real Madrid's head coach Zinedine Zidane gestures as Athletic Bilbao players, background, celebrate their first goal during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Athletic Bilbao's Inigo Martinez, right, celebrates with teammate Inigo Lekue at the end of the Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos, top left, goes for a header with Athletic Bilbao's Mikel Balenziaga during the Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Athletic Bilbao's head coach Marcelino, left, celebrates with Iker Muniain, second left, and teammates at the end of the Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Athletic Bilbao's head coach Marcelino celebrates at the end of the Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema gestures during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Athletic is looking to win its third Spanish Super Cup title, and first since beating Barcelona in the 2015 final. The Basque Country club also won the competition in 1984.
Athletic Bilbao's Raul Garcia, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Real Madrid was going for its 12th Spanish Super Cup trophy.
This year's Super Cup was moved to southern Spain after the coronavirus pandemic stopped it from being held in Saudi Arabia for a second straight season. The tournament's revamped Final Four format includes the top-two finishers in the Spanish league and the Copa del Rey.
García opened the scoring for Athletic in the 18th minute with a shot past Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in a one-on-one situation inside the area. He added to the lead by converting a penalty kick in the 38th after a foul by Lucas Vázquez.
Athletic Bilbao players jubilate at the end of the Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
“We played a very tough opponent but we knew we could come through with the victory,” said García, who was sent off less than 15 minutes into Athletic’s 3-1 loss to Madrid in the Spanish league in December. "We played a great match."
Madrid reduced the deficit in the 73rd minute when Karim Benzema scored his first goal in four matches. The French striker appeared to have scored an equalizer in the 82nd but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Defender Sergio Ramos missed another chance with a header by the post in the 88th. A few minutes later Madrid wanted a penalty after Ramos appeared to be grabbed inside the area, but video review determined there was no foul.
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema gestures during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
“They got off to a good start and we struggled to get going,” Madrid's Marco Asensio said. “They gained confidence after the first goal and we were not able to recover.”
Madrid was coming off a scoreless draw at Osasuna in the Spanish league. It was stuck in Pamplona after the match because of a snowstorm that has disrupted the city Madrid in the last few days, having to travel directly to Málaga from there.
Athletic reached the final boosted by the arrival of coach Marcelino García Toral, who was hired less than two weeks ago to try to halt the team’s struggles. It was only his second match in charge of the club, coming after a 3-2 home loss to Barcelona in the Spanish league last week.
Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos gestures during the Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
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Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, left, scores past Athletic Bilbao's goalkeeper Unai Simon his side's first goal during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Athletic Bilbao's Inigo Martinez, top front, goes for a header with Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Real Madrid's Eden Hazard gestures during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez, left, vies for the ball with Athletic Bilbao's Iker Muniain during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Real Madrid's head coach Zinedine Zidane gestures as Athletic Bilbao players, background, celebrate their first goal during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Athletic Bilbao's Inigo Martinez, right, celebrates with teammate Inigo Lekue at the end of the Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos, top left, goes for a header with Athletic Bilbao's Mikel Balenziaga during the Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Athletic Bilbao's head coach Marcelino, left, celebrates with Iker Muniain, second left, and teammates at the end of the Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Athletic Bilbao's head coach Marcelino celebrates at the end of the Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema gestures during Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 and will play the final. (AP PhotoJose Breton)