Real Madrid lifted their first trophy of the season thanks to a triumphant 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in Helsinki, Finland, on Tuesday. David Alaba scored the opener and Karim Benzema put it out of sight for a Los Blancos side that did not need to get out of first gear. Real Madrid have lifted the Super Cup for the fifth time in nine tries in what Carlo Ancelotti will hope to be the first of many trophies this season.
Eintracht Frankfurt got off to a strong start to the match as Daichi Kamada gave Real Madrid trouble on the counter, but a defensive breakdown on a corner kick was enough space for Real Madrid to pounce. Benzema was allowed too much space to win a free header to keep the play alive before Casemiro headed the ball to Alaba, who didn't miss. That goal must have been extra special to Alaba given his Bayern Munich days.
Once Frankfurt opened things up to seek an equalizer, it was all Real Madrid as Vinicius Junior assisted Benzema for the second in the 65th minute. The shot did not seem to be impossible to save for Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, but then again, stopping Benzema is easier said than done. The German side was at least competitive in this match, but once they went behind, there was no way back. There'll be plenty to debrief as they prepare for what's to come in the Champions League group stage.
Here are three key takeaways from the match:
1. Frankfurt needed a backup plan
The strong counterattack is the bread and butter that got Frankfurt to this point, but they need Mario Gotze to discover some of his best form in order to control matches moving forward. Frankfurt are hard to get past when they get ahead, but the quality of teams they face in Champions League will be raised. They may need to hope they don't land Real Madrid in the group stage because Gotze's ability to pick apart teams will be what makes or breaks this team.
Gotze was involved in 19 goals during his time in the Eredivisie with PSV which is production that Eintracht Frankfurt could use. Without Filip Kostic, who's going to Juventus, someone will have to replace the seven goals and 15 assists he scored last season. Along with Gotze, Christopher Lenz, who will fill the left wing-back role, is another player who will be relied on. A good crosser, Lenz will need to improve his end product with more playing time this season.
2. Vini Jr.-Karim Benzema duo unstoppable
When Vini Jr. gets the ball in space, you can expect the ball to go to one of two places: The back of the net or to Benzema. Odds are the ball will still find the back of the net if he finds an open Benzema. It wasn't their best link-up but it was good enough to beat Trapp.
Benzema became Real Madrid's second leading scorer in all competitions with his 324th goal. He still trails Cristiano Ronaldo who has 450 goals, but it's a testament to the career that Benzema has had. His performances will be critical to Real Madrid's success this season, and with Vini Jr. next to him, expect good things.
3. Moving forward
Kicking off Bundesliga play against Bayern Munich and then facing Real Madrid is no light task regardless whether it's the start, middle or end of the club season. On the plus side, things can't get much harder for Eintracht Frankfurt moving forward. After conceding eight goals across those two matches and scoring one, an away trip to Hertha Berlin will be a welcome sight on Saturday. They'll need to iron things out over the next few matches, but on level terms, they can be pleased with their performance and replicate the good spots in the return to Bundesliga play.
For Real Madrid, their La Liga title defense starts Sunday against Almeria. Newly promoted to La Liga after a seven-year absence from the top flight, it will likely be another match where Los Blancos don't have to leave first gear and they won't mind as they look to integrate Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni into the side before Champions League play forces the need to rotate more.