Karim Benzema became Real Madrid’s second-highest goalscorer as his strike helped secure a 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Uefa Super Cup final.
Real equalled a record in Helsinki, winning the trophy for the fifth time to join Milan and Barcelona with the highest total.
David Alaba gave Real the lead in the first half, tapping home after Casemiro had nodded the ball down to him just a few yards out.
Real stayed in control after the break, forcing another good save from Kevin Trapp in the 55th minute, knocking away a deflected Vinícius Junior shot before Casemiro rattled the crossbar with a shot from the edge of the box two minutes later.
The pressure eventually paid off when Vinicius combined with Benzema – the pair scored a combined 111 club goals last season – and the French forward slotted in to kill off any lingering Eintracht hopes of a first Super Cup title.
The goal put Benzema above Raúl on the all-time goals list for the club with 324. Cristiano Ronaldo remains Madrid’s top goalscorer of all-time with 450. Real’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti, had suggested this week it was possible for them to compete for all six competitions they are in this season and was able to give debuts to new signings Antonio Rüdiger and Aurelién Tchouaméni.
“After we scored the first one we had more control and we didn’t take risks, didn’t play with super intensity but it was a good control,” said Ancelotti. “They are used to playing together, they are comfortable, they know each other. It is simple to play together, to find the right time in the game. We didn’t play a spectacular game, but we were really solid. Our usual. Eintracht were very closed and we found it difficult to find our rhythm, but we did it well then. It’s difficult at the beginning of the season to be in top form but we now have won to start the season well.”
The Italian, who had named the same starting 11 that began their winning European Cup final in Paris in May, had special praise for the captain Benzema, last season’s top scorer in the Champions League.
“He’s a very important player, a team leader,” he said. “If we’re here it’s largely due to his merits, he scored a lot of goals, he finished the season well, he scored a goal today and now he’s going for the Ballon d’Or award.”
