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Diego Costa plays hero and villain to perfection as Atletico beat Real Madrid in Uefa Super Cup thriller

Diego Costa scored twice but was also fortunate not to be sent off - AP
Diego Costa scored twice but was also fortunate not to be sent off - AP
  • Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 4

Atletico Madrid finally got the better of Real Madrid on the European stage, scoring twice in extra time to win 4-2 in the Uefa Super Cup final on Wednesday in its rival's first game without Cristiano Ronaldo.

Atletico got off to a flying start with Diego Costa scoring the competition's fastest goal just 50 seconds in, but Madrid came back to take a 2-1 lead as Los Blancos tried to prove they can still win trophies without Ronaldo and with a new coach.

But Costa equalized late in the match with his second goal before Saul Niguez and Jorge "Koke" Resurreccion sealed the victory in extra time on a cool night in Estonia's capital.

Atletico's victory was over its crosstown rival had added significance after it lost two Champions League finals to Madrid in 2014 and 2016. Diego Simeone's team was also eliminated by Madrid in the 2017 semifinals.

Karim Benzema makes it 1-1 after 27 minutes - Credit: Getty images
Karim Benzema levelled the game up after Costa had put Atletico ahead Credit: Getty images

The loss leaves new Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui still having to prove that there is life after Ronaldo, who scored 450 goals in 438 matches before joining Juventus this summer and helped lead the club to three straight Champions League titles.

Gareth Bale showed glimpses of his pace and skill, but couldn't mimic Ronaldo's ability to decide a game on his own.

Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos, left, and Atletico's Diego Costa challenge for the ball during the UEFA Super Cup final soccer match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid - Credit: AP
Costa caught Sergio Ramos in the head with a stray boot Credit: AP

Instead, Costa was the one who dominated at the Lillekula Stadium in Tallinn. He overpowered Madrid's center backs in the first minute after a long ball from Stefan Savic, first winning a header against Sergio Ramos and then muscling past Raphael Varane to cut into the area where he beat goalkeeper Keylor Navas at the near post.

Karim Benzema equalised in the 27th minute, heading in a pinpoint cross from Bale, who was able to break away from Lucas Hernandez on the right and curl the ball into his fellow forward's path. Bale, who was given a freer role than he's used to, caused trouble for Atletico's defense in the first half as he switched between wings. He was Madrid's main creative spark at that point, with his teammates constantly trying to feed him the ball.

Koke slots home the fourth - Credit: Reuters
Koke slots home Atletico's fourth Credit: Reuters

Sergio Ramos scored a penalty in the 63rd minute after Juanfran Torres handled in the area as the ball flew over him from a corner. The Madrid captain made a run-up and then stopped, before coolly slotting into the right corner.

Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa and Antoine Griezmann celebrate after the match - Credit: Reuters
Costa celebrates by drinking champagne while Antoine Griezmann looks on Credit: Reuters
Atletico's players celebrate with the trophy - Credit: GEtty images
Atletico's players celebrate with the trophy Credit: GEtty images

Juanfran made up for it in the 79th by taking the ball off Marcelo near the touchline and then passing to Angel Correa. The substitute then skipped past a couple of Madrid defenders and cut the ball back from the byline to Costa, who poked the ball into the roof of the net.

In extra time, substitute Thomas Partey set up the decisive goal when he stripped the ball off Varane and played a one-two with Costa before dribbling toward the byline. Partey then cut the ball back to Saul Niguez, who volleyed the ball first-time to send the ball past Navas to make it 3-2 in the 98th. Koke finished Madrid off with a cool finish in the 104th. 

10:36PM

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An enjoyable match, although this fixture ought to be settled in 90 minutes. Six goals, some of them belters, some good dastardly behaviour from Sergio Ramos and Diego Costa, and immediate headaches for Real Madrid's new manager Julen Lopetegui in the post Ronaldo era. Match report ahoy.

10:33PM

Full time: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 4

That's it! Well done Diego Simeone and Atletico Madrid.

10:31PM

119 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 4   

The interesting thing will be to see if this heaps pressure on the new Real Madrid manager. One would imagine that it most certainly will.

Modric trying to get something, drives into the box, wins a corner.

Just one minute added. This will be a satisfying win for Atletico. Not often they manage to get one over on Real in 'Europe'.

10:28PM

117 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 4  

Boy am I over this football match. C'mon now ref. Let's call it a day.

10:24PM

111 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 4 

Sergio Ramos, the scorpion and the frog stuff, cannot help himself but body check Saul painfully. A winding for Saul, a booking for Sergio.

10:20PM

107 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 4

Diego Costa comes off. Makes a point of shaking hands with the ref. Ha ha ha. After being an absolute chop to the bloke for two hours. Diego am the bestest. José Giménez is the replacement.

10:18PM

106 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 4

Any way back for the men in white? It's all them as the final phase of the game starts.

10:14PM

HT in ET: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 4

Those two goals should wrap thing up. Amusing moment right before the shiwtle when Thomas Partey goes on a lung-busting run, looks to be clear and then trips over.

Vitolo is arguing with the referee for whatever reason. He's booked.

10:11PM

Crying when you lose a friendly

That Big Club feeling. Boak.

RM fans - Credit: BT
Waaa waa waaa Credit: BT

10:10PM

GOAL! Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 4 (Koke 103) 

Another absolute peach! We've seen some great goals tonight. Diego down the left, great power and strength from him, and composure as well to slip it to Vitolo. he in turn friends Koke with a super pass, and Koke has the skill and presence of mind to steer it home.

10:08PM

100 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 3

Borja Mayoral is coming on, Kroos is coming off.

10:06PM

GOAL! Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 3 (Saul 98)

Saul has scored a screamer! Came out of nothing. Another individual error from Varane, who is fiddling around at the back unnecessarily. Atleti pinch it, they play it across, and Saul has met it with a magnificent volley. That has practically ripped the net off.

10:02PM

96 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 2   

Marcello has a chance to play it through but takes the wrong option.

10:01PM

95 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 2  

Carvajal crosses, and it's that man Godin again to clear.

9:59PM

93 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 2 

Godin, his positioning immaculate as ever, heads it clear.

9:58PM

92 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 2

It's RM who look to be more up for it as we resume.

9:56PM

Right then

Who's for another half an hour?

9:52PM

End of 90 minutes: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 2

Hmm.

9:52PM

90+ mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 2        

Bale gets clear, slings in a ball and Marcello goes for the spectaculare.... oooh he fails to connect. That would have been some finish! As it stands, it's going to be extra time.

9:49PM

90 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 2        

Ceballos has fouled Correa. Yellow.

Just three minutes it added. Tiring exercise this, for club's who have their League opener in just a few days (AM play Monday)

9:48PM

87 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 2       

Great feet from Correa, dancing, slipping it to Costa. The big man cannot fashion the opening he wants, he delays a bit too long and Varane can nip in.

Now here he is pretending that he's been hit in the face.

Costa up to his tricks - Credit: BT Soort
Costa up to his tricks Credit: BT Soort

Makes Suarez look like Jimmy Armfield, this guy. 

9:45PM

85 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 2      

Pace has dropped right off. Not sure anybody involved really wants extra time here.

9:45PM

82 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 2     

Isco's run his race, here is Lucas Vazquez. 

9:38PM

GOAL! Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 2 (Costa 79)

That comes about due to sheer heart and hard work. Costa down the channel, does brilliantly to keep it alive and hooks it into the six-yard box. There isn't really anybody there. Real Madrid should clear this but Marcelo has had a shocker. He takes a totally needless risk on the touchline, trying to keep the ball in, and he loses out to Juanfran. He picks Marcelo's pocket, Correa does very well to play the ball in, and there's that man Diego Costa to wallop it into the net. Atletico are level!!

We can have extra time and pens by the way.

9:34PM

75 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 1     

Casemiro coming off and he doesn't look too clever. Not moving well. Dani Ceballos is the player to come on.

9:29PM

71 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 1    

Varane cracks it at goal after a corner and Saul gets in the way.

9:27PM

68 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 1   

10 of the 11 who started the Champions League final for RM are on the pitch. The odd man out is one G Bale.

On the evidence so far, Real Madrid are going to take all the beating this season, Ronaldo or no Ronaldo.

Atletico are strong, experienced and effective but they lack pace and they don't really have anyone running at the defence like Bale can.

9:24PM

65 mins: Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 1  

Sergio Ramos and Diego Costa battling hard for the ball and Ramos goes down. Costa is unable to hurdle the falling Real Madrid player and ends up kicking him in the head. Costa explains to Marcelo, and the referee, that there was nothing he could do and that it was an accident. The referee accepts this explanation. 

Ramos is okay.

9:22PM

GOAL! Real Madrid 2 Atletico Madrid 1 (Ramos 63p)

The skipper steps up, calm and cool, places it precisely in the bottom corner to Oblak's left. No chance for the keeper.

9:19PM

Penalty to Real Madrid

Handball. Clear penalty. Deep ball into the Atleti box. Juanfran has foolishly stuck his hand up in the air, it hits his hand, and there is not a lot you can say about that. Diego Costa gets booked for verbals, nonetheless.

Sergio Ramos will take the penalty.

9:19PM

60 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1 

Isco pings a glorious ball to Bale, who tries to chest it away from his man. Just denied. Lovely pass.

9:18PM

59 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1

Correa is into the book.

9:18PM

55 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1  

Lovely bit of football from AM as they put together a series of crisp passes. But the move doe not really go anywhere and here now is Bale with a dangerous run. Stopped by Godin with a crisp block tackle.

9:15PM

55 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1 

Second half has not really got going yet, as is sometimes the way with these phony war trophy matches. Modric comes on for Asensio.

Griezmann, nowhere near his best, comes off and Angel Correa comes on.

9:12PM

49 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1

Marcelo into the back of Juanfran, who makes the most of it. Yellow for the Real man.

9:08PM

46 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1 

Asensio thinks he has been fouled by Savic, and I must say I have some sympathy.

9:04PM

46 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1

Varane has got his eye on Costa now. Not getting caught again early on.

Now hearing on the telly that they timed the goal at 49 seconds in the first half.

9:03PM

Ha!

Diego Costa is at it before they've even blown the whistle, pushing and arguing with an opponent. The man, the legend.

9:01PM

Eyes down look in

here comes the second dig.

8:48PM

Half time: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1

Very enjoyable stuff. Diego Costa got Atleti off to a dream start, smashing home from a tight angle on 52 seconds. Well matched throughout, apart from a period about halfway through the half where Real Madrid were able to turn the screw. That led to the equaliser, Bale's storming run down the flank headed in by Benzema.

Anybody's guess who wins it from here.

8:44PM

41 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1          

Atletico enjoying the best of the last few minutes. Costa a constant threat. Real hack a corner clear.

8:39PM

38 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1         

Koke with a corner. Godin rises above all and heads it... at the keeper.

8:39PM

37 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1        

Diego has the ball in the box but is superbly dispossessed by Casemiro, who is having an impressive few minutes screening that back four.

8:36PM

34 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1       

Diego Costa breaks, Asensio with him. Asensio  is naive enough to touch Costa, who goes down like he's been shot, securing a yellow for Asensio.

8:35PM

32 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1      

Bale and Marcelo linking up down the left, Asensio is nearly in. Rodri is among several Atletico players putting in a shift. Asensio is down on the edge of the Atletico box, the ref says nope and tells him to get up. I think he might have been fouled, tbf.

8:30PM

28 mins: Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1     

Asensio, is this his season to step up? He hares down the left, cuts in and then curls a lovely shot just wide of the post.

8:28PM

GOAL! Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1 (Benzema 27)

Here is Gareth Bale down the right, sheer pace, what an athlete that boy has turned himself into. He's burned down the right leaving AM's defenders in his dust. Produces a cross worthy of the run, Oblak cannot decide whether to hug the line or come for it, in the end he does a bit of both, which is to say neither, and Benzema is there to head it in from point-blank. 

8:27PM

24 mins: Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 1    

It's coming for RM. Marcelo cuts inside, lashes over.

8:23PM

22 mins: Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 1   

Varane had an excellent World Cup, IMHO, but he's not been in the wide-awake club yet tonight. Costa is snapping at him and nearly robbing him in dangerous position.

8:22PM

20 mins: Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 1  

Lucas Hernandez catches Bale. Benzema fouls Lemar. Certainly a bit of spice to this quasi-friendly fixture.

8:20PM

18 mins: Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 1 

Ramos and Dirty Diego are at it again. One's whacked the other, hard to tell which, two masters of the dark arts as they are. Anyway they are both down but now both ok.

8:19PM

15 mins: Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 1

Marcelo crosses from the left flank. Marco Asensio, with his back to goal, produces a sensational bit of skill, flicking it towards the goal. Great reaction stop.

8:14PM

12 mins: Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 1  

Gareth Bale picks it up out wide, cuts in between two and is brought down.

Handy ball in from Kroos, who seems to be at the front of the post Ronaldo set piece queue. Cleared.

8:13PM

10 mins: Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 1 

Marcelo with a promising cross but Godin has read that brilliantly. Some debate in Spain about whether he is getting a new deal at Atletico.

8:09PM

7 mins: Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 1

Sergio Ramos has elbowed Diego Costa in the face. Mixed feelings about that, obviously. 

8:05PM

4 mins:  Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 1

Atleti have a corner from the right. Cleared. Half cleared. Lemar and Juanfran linking up well, probing for openings.

8:04PM

Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 1 (Diego Costa 1 min)

Welcome, Sr Lopetegui! That's cranked up the pressure just another notch.

Madrid folk in Estonia - Credit: AP
Wild scenes in Estonia ahead of the Super Cup Credit: AP

8:03PM

GOAL! 49 seconds in and Diego Costa has scored!

Ball is hit forward, he heads it on, runs onto it. He's absolutely brutalised Varane there! He gets to the byline and he has smashed the ball home from a tight angle. Sensational strike.

Diego Costa - Credit: BT Sport
Diego Costa Credit: BT Sport

8:01PM

1 mins: Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 0

Ball played forward looking for Costa down the right...

Real Madrid: Navas, Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Varane, Marcelo,  Kroos, Casemiro, Isco, Bale, Benzema, Asensio. Subs: Casilla,  Lunin, Nacho, Modric, Lucas, Llorente, Borja Mayoral, Ceballos,  Valverde, Vinicius Junior, Reguilon, Sanchez. 

Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Juanfran, Savic, Godin, Lucas, Lemar,  Rodri, Saul, Koke, Costa, Griezmann. Subs: Adan, Dos Santos,  Filipe Luis, Arias, Thomas, Kalinic, Correa, Gelson Martins,  Vitolo, Gimenez, Olabe del Amo. 

Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland) 

8:01PM

And here are Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid - Credit: BT Sport
Atletico Madrid Credit: BT Sport

8:00PM

Here's how Real Madrid should line up

Real Madrid team - Credit: BT Sport
Real Madrid team Credit: BT Sport

7:59PM

There are a LOT of kids

on the pitch. Sort of fancy dress gala as far as I can see!

Kids - Credit: BT
Credit: BT

7:57PM

The teams are ready

First use of the phrase "traditional curtain raiser" by Darren Fletcher, time at 2.5 seconds. Also adds: "Madrid is the capital city of winning."

7:41PM

Thibaut Cortouis

Has signed but not in time for this. He is an improvement on Navas, no question. That was the only area of significant weakness. The fascinating thing, of course, is how the group respond to the absence of Ronaldo.

Does that liberate them? Allow them to be stars in their own right? Or do they fade without his inspiration?

7:23PM

Antoine's in

Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid arrives - Credit: UEFA via Getty
Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid arrives Credit: UEFA via Getty

7:03PM

Here are Real Madrid

7:02PM

Here is the Atletico Madrid team

6:51PM

AM love

6:37PM

There's only two teams in Tallinn!

Good evening, and welcome to our live blog of the European Super Cup match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. But it is not being held in Madrid, no senor, it is being held in Estonia. Real Madrid, the Champions League winners, and Atletico Madrid, the holders of the Europa League. The traditional fixture between the two holders of those trophies is given an extra spice this year by the local rivalry.

And for Real Madrid, this is a new era. A certain Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer with them. Manager Zinedine Zidane has also left. A chance for some new legends to be made. Atleti, meanwhile, continue to fight the good fight against Spain's big two. There is more of a preview here. And the match will kick off at 8pm UK time. We will have the team news as soon as it comes in.

Huge challenge then for Julen Lopetegui as he takes over from Zidane. How do you replace Ronaldo?

Real have a poor recent League record against their City rivals: they have won just one of their past 10 La Liga meetings.

In Europe though there is no doubt who is on top: RM knocked Diego Simeone's lot out of the Champions League in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017

Simeone is still serving a touchline ban for being a naughty sausage vs Arsenal.