Real Madrid faces Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals. The match will be played on Thursday, January 14th at Estadio La Rosaleda (Málaga)
The start of the new season was terrible for the current champions of the country. Real Madrid could not join the leading group for a long time and looked weak at the level of the Champions League (the issue of a ticket to the playoffs was decided in the final round). Closer to the new year, the game of Zinedine Zidane's charges improved dramatically. The Whites are chasing Atlético in the championship race and showing pragmatic football with good statistics. The main problem for Real Madrid is the attacking line, where only Benzema meets the status of the most titled club in the world. The midfield players (Vinicius Junior, Valverde, Modric, and Casemiro) are trying to help the French striker. Hazard, Jovic, Militao, Odegaard, and the once talented Isco (always injured and in terrible shape) completely fail in Madrid.
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The team from Bilbao simply cannot return to the European Cup zone. Basques occupy an intermediate 12th place in the standings and show quality football only in matches at their native stadium. Athletic is very weak on the road - not a single victory in the last six away games. Marcelino, who replaced Gaizka Garitano on the coaching bridge in January, is working with the team now. With the new mentor, the club pins hope for a return to the ranks of the leaders of Spanish football. The problem for Marcelino will be the question of organizing the team, where everything depends on the players from the Basque Country. He has to count exclusively on internal reserves. Among the leaders, one may note experienced Muniain, Williams, Iñigo Martinez, Berchiche, and Raul Garcia, as well as young Simon, Unai Nunez, and Morchillo.
Real Madrid's powerful gait in LaLiga makes the team the favorite in the Super Cup. Athletic no longer has the genius Aduritz in the attack, who was the king of the penalty area during set pieces and counterattacks. The Basques will try to play defense first qualitatively, but Zidane's charges are too good now. We think the nominal hosts will manage to gain victory.
Prediction for the match: Real Madrid to win
