Athletic is the only team that has left Real Madrid this season without the possibility of winning a title. Marcelino’s team eliminated Ancelotti’s team from the Cup in the quarter-final match played at San Mamés on February 3. A solitary goal by Berenguer with two minutes remaining allowed the lions to get into the semifinals at the expense of the meringues.
That game, paradoxically, was the only one won by Athletic against Madrid of the four clashes that both teams have had this season. Ancelotti’s men prevailed over Marcelino’s men in the two league matches. Triumphs by 1-0 at the Bernabéu and 1-2 at San Mamés.
Both teams also met in the final of the Super Cup played in Saudi Arabia. The whites, after eliminating Barça in the semifinals, defeated the rojiblancos, who had just dropped Atlético de Madrid, by 2-0. Modric and Benzema, from a penalty, sealed the merengue title.
Of the six goals scored by Madrid against Athletic this season, five were signed by Benzema. The French striker, curiously, missed the San Mamés appointment in which the lions got the pass to the Cup semifinals due to physical problems. “Karim has a good feeling, but we’re not going to risk it, it’s not a Champions League final,” Ancelotti said at the time.
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