What the papers say about the UEFA Super Cup
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Article summary
"Ramos should ask the kit man to change his number," writes AS as it celebrates another last-gasp success for Real Madrid; UEFA.com collates the UEFA Super Cup media reaction.
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AS, Madrid-based sports daily
Ramos should ask the kit man to change his number. From now on he needs to have 93 on his shirt. With Tarzan, anything's possible. He always takes risks, shows his face even though he is criticised, and though sometimes he gets things wrong by following his heart, he never turns his back on things. The skipper justifies his armband with this character, which has turned him into the linchpin of a side capable of surviving without seven of the starters from the UEFA Champions League final win in Milan.
El País, Spanish national daily
A game with a lot of twists ended up once again going Madrid's way in Europe, where they've not lost a final for 16 years. It was a very fierce duel with a very Madridista outcome. A Sergio Ramos goal at the death, once again in the 93rd minute, allowed his side to take the game to extra time, in which once again close to the death Carvajal scored a wonder-strike – a very athletic effort when everyone else was dead on their feet. Two sobering blows for Sevilla, who had the trophy there for the taking and then clung on through a hellish extra time.
Marca, Madrid-based sports daily
Football is capricious like few sports. Everything is relative until the referee blows his whistle. The last minutes change history for sides, players and fans alike. Ask Sergio Ramos, a specialist on walking the tightrope. He saved his side at the death after bringing down Vitolo for a penalty, which looked like it was going to cost Real Madrid. The former Sevilla player has seven lives [cats in Spain are said to have seven rather than nine] and he looks comfortable with his role as 'The Resuscitator'.
Estadio Deportivo, Seville-based sports daily
Again in extra time. Again in the UEFA Super Cup. Football was once again cruel to Sevilla, just like a year ago in Tbilisi [where Sevilla lost 5-4 to Barcelona in extra time], but this time in Trondheim and when Sampaoli's men almost had the trophy in their hands. Everything was lost in added time and things were made much more difficult in the opening minutes of extra time. This Sevilla side promises spectacular stuff, because they gave it their all having had barely two months to get used to a new coach's methods. They lost – but like champions with their heads held high.
Front-page headlines translated:
AS: "Until the end ... go on Madrid" (club slogan)
Marca: "This is Madrid!" (perhaps a play on 'This is Sparta', a nod to the team's warrior spirit)
Estadio Deportivo: "The cruelest of scripts"