EUROPEAN SUPER CUP | REAL MADRID - ATLÉTICO
Ninth Spanish Uefa Super Cup winner in the past decade
Real Madrid have not lost any of the last 13 European finals they've played; Atlético have won the European Super Cup in both of the editions they have contested it.
A first for two clubs from the same city
Tonight's final will be the first time two clubs from the same city have contested the Uefa Super Cup. It could have happened back in 1994 with a potential meeting between the two Milan clubs - AC Milan were winners of the Champions League and Inter had picked up the Uefa Cup, but that year, the Super Cup was played between the European champions and the team that won the Cup Winners' Cup - Arsenal.
Spanish flavour
Spanish teams have won eight of the last nine editions of the Super Cup (Barcelona and Real Madrid winning three each; Atlético winning two). The only exception was in 2013 when
Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich beat Mourinho's Chelsea in the penalty shoot-out after extra-time. Whoever wins tonight, it will be the ninth Spanish triumph in the competition during the past 10 years...
Since 2013-14, Spanish clubs have won 18 out of the 19 international trophies and competitions played - including 5 Champions Leagues, 4 Europa Leagues (each edition apart from 2016-17 when Manchester United ended as champions) and a clean sweep of five out of five European Super Cups (including tonight's) and four out of four Club World Cups (which could be five in December if Madrid successfully defend the trophy in United Arab Emirates). There has been a Spanish winner of the Super Cup 15 times (including tonight) and five different LaLiga clubs have won it - Atlético, Barça, Madrid, Sevilla and Valencia. Italian clubs have won the Super Cup nine times, English clubs have won it on seven occasions.
Real Madrid, going for a record fifth Super Cup
Before tonight, Madrid have made the Super Cup final six times and lost twice - to Chelsea in 1998 and Galatasaray in 2000; they won the remaing four finals against Feyenoord (2002), Sevilla (2014 and 2016) and Manchester United (2017). Only Barcelona have appeared more times in the Super Cup final (nine) and AC Milan (seven). If Lopetegui's team wins in Tallinn this evening they will equal the record of five Super Cup triumphs jointly held by Barça and Milan.
Madrid's last defeat in an international final
Real Madrid have not lost an international final since their 2-1 defeat to Boca Juniors in the 2000 Intercontinental/Tokyo Cup final. Since then, Los Blancos have won every final they have starred in: Champions League (five out of five), European Super Cup (four out of four), the Intercontinental Cup (one) and Club World Cup (three out of three).
Atlético won both of the Uefa Super Cup finals they have played in (beating Inter in 2010 and Chelsea in 2012). They are one of four clubs to have never lost a Super Cup final along with Anderlecht (1976 and 1978), Juventus (1985 and 1997) and Valencia (1980 and 2004). No team has ever won their first three Super Cup finals - a feat which Simeone's side have the chance to do tonight.
