Another Supercopa de Espana crown may be on the horizon for Real Madrid after Los Blancos scraped past Valencia in Riyadh.
Real Madrid edged into the Supercopa de Espana final with a 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory over Valencia following an unconvincing 1-1 draw after extra time on Wednesday.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side were not at their best in Riyadh, but Eray Comert – who conceded a penalty for Benzema’s first-half opener – and Jose Gayo both faltered from 12 yards.
Samuel Lin’s 46th-minute strike had earlier leveled for Valencia before Giorgi Mamardashvili produced a trio of fine saves in extra time, but Comert fired over and Thibaut Courtois denied Gay to send Madrid through.
Los Blancos will seek their third Supercopa in four seasons on Sunday when they face the winners of Thursday’s semi-final between LaLiga leaders Barcelona and Real Betis.
Rodrygo flashed just wide from a representative opportunity in the 10th minute, before Benzema and Federico Valverde narrowly missed the target in a one-sided opener.
Comerto’s unnecessary lunge from the back into Benzema’s space offered Madrid a breakthrough, with the forward then converting the spot-kick into the bottom right corner.
Lino punished Lucas Vazquez’s sloppiness just after the break when he converted Toni Lato’s right-wing cross with his right for Courtois.
Benzema headed just wide of Valverde’s cross before Mamardashvili expertly denied Vinicius Junior’s chance to send the game into extra time.
Mamardashvili produced two impressive stops to deny Vinicius and Toni Kroos before Courtois crucially kept Fran Perez at bay to ensure penalties would be called for.
Luka Modric converted to put Madrid in control after Comert got over in search of the top left corner and Courtois then saved from Gaya – Valencia’s fifth man – to keep Los Blancos on course for the Supercopa.