"Should never start a match for Madrid ever again" - Real Madrid fans slam player's performance despite 5-3 win over Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid defeated crosstown rivals Atletico Madrid 5-3 (aet) in the semifinals of the Spanish Super Cup in Riyadh on Wednesday night (January 10). Despite the win, Los Blancos fans were irate at the performance of one of their players.
With the first trophy of the season on offer, Real Madrid needed to beat Atletico Madrid to book their place in the final. The Bernabeu outfit showed their class but came within a few minutes of elimination.
Carlo Ancelotti opted to start summer signing Kepa Arrizabalaga, and the Spaniard almost cost Real Madrid dearly. With 11 minutes of regulation time left, the goalkeeper pushed a cross onto the head of Antonio Rudiger, thus conceding an own goal in the process.
Real Madrid fans took to X to make their opinions heard regarding the goalkeeper.
"@kepa_46 you made the game hard for us. Well this is not Chelsea. This is Real Madrid!" one fan commented.
"Real Madrid should send Kepa back to Chelsea and use lunin he is better than Kepa all Real Madrid fans should follow me please," another wrote.
Here are a few more fan reactions:
Kepa joined Real Madrid on loan from Chelsea last summer after Thibaut Courtois picked up an injury before the season started. Kepa is not a regular starter for Los Blancos, following a series of inconsistent showings.
Ancelotti was criticized for leaving Andriy Lunin on the bench for the game against Atletico Madrid as the Ukrainian has shown he can be trusted this season. Real Madrid are unlikely to keep Kepa beyond the season, especially with Courtois set to return to action later this year.
Real Madrid show fight and resilience to reach the Super Cup final
Facing Atletico Madrid is never easy, especially in a knockout match.
In a high-scoring match, Mario Hermoso opened the scoring for Los Colchoneros as early as the sixth minute before Rudiger equalized in the 20th minute. Ferland Mendy put Los Blancos ahead just before the half-hour mark, but Antoine Griezmann responded with a goal eight minutes later to make it 2-2.
There were no goals to report until the 78th minute when a Kepa error saw Real Madrid concede an own goal. However, Los Blancos responded in the 85th minute through Dani Carvajal, thus sending the game into extra time.
Real Madrid scored twice in extra-time through Joselu and Brahim Diaz to seal a 5-3 win.
They will now face the winner between Barcelona and Osasuna in the final on Sunday, January 14.