Madrid lost only 3 of the last 20 finals

Barcelona cruised past Real Madrid to inflict the first defeat on 'Los Blancos' in a final since 2018. The Spanish Super Cup went to the Camp Nou trophy cabinet in what was the third final lost by the 'Merengues' in the last 20 played in a single match.

On the two previous occasions, it was also a Spanish rival that prevented the Santiago Bernabeu side from winning another title. Atletico Madrid were, on both occasions, their bogey team. They won the 2012-13 Copa del Rey and the 2018 European Super Cup.

In the other 17, the end result was the same. Madrid were crowned champions of Super Cups, Copa del Rey, Club World Cups and Champions League titles against opponents from Spain, England, Germany, Argentina, Japan, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates. The winning and competitive DNA of the team, the same one that disappeared in Arabia, almost always shone through in these 20 years.

The good run in finals that we analyse thanks to BeSoccer Pro started against Barcelona in the 2010-11 Copa del Rey, when Cristiano's header in extra time gave the 'Merengues' the title at Mestalla. The next, however, fell to Atletico, who took the same trophy two years later thanks to a Joao Miranda goal in extra time.

Once again it would be the 'Colchoneros' who would be in charge of spoiling a final for the Madrid fans. They did so after the 'Merengues' had won 11 finals in a row. They won a Copa del Rey again against Barca; took revenge on Atleti with the two Champions League finals; won two European Super Cups against Sevilla and another against Manchester United; added more UCL titles by beating Juventus and Liverpool; and beat Kashima Antlers and Gremio in the Club World Cup finals.

That run was halted by an Atletico side that began to turn Julen Lopetegui's path in the dugout upside down. Simeone's side took the European Super Cup in 2018 after a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes, winning 2-4 in extra time. Until this past Sunday, it was the last final Madrid had lost.

Until the match against Barcelona, the 'Merengue's had won five other titles. Al-Ain lost in the Club World Cup before two Spanish teams lost in the Spanish Super Cup. Atletico (2020) and Athletic (2022) were defeated and suffered the same fate as Liverpool and Eintracht Frankfurt in Europe. The English side witnessed the fourteenth Champions League title for a Madrid side that, last summer, also won the European Super Cup by beating the Germans 2-0.

 

January 16, 2023