Athletic enters the podium of the Spanish Super Cup with its third title

The Spain Supercup has returned this year to Spain, more specifically to Andalusia, and again it will be a historic edition. Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, Barcelona and Athletic Club They have met during this last week to proclaim themselves super champion of Spain, but Athletic has been the team capable of placing a new trophy in their showcases. It is the third time that the Bilbao club has been proclaimed champion of the Spanish Super Cup. And like in 2015, when he achieved his second trophy, it has also been against Barcelona. In this way, the Bilbao team reaches Deportivo on the title podium. Barcelona, ​​for its part, has not been able to expand its track record, but remains the clear dominator of the Super Cup with 13 titles since the competition was established in 1982, three more than Real Madrid (9).

Athletic had won their second Super Cup in 2015 by defeating Barcelona in the final, which had been played in a double game. The lions prevailed at San Mamés 4-0 and drew 1-1 at the Camp Nou. Valverde was then the Athletic coach and Luis Enrique, the Barça coach.

The first Spanish Super Cup to be seen in Athletic's showcases, he won it in 1984 without having to contest the final, having won the League the Cup. Until 1996, the team that achieved the two titles, won the Spanish Super Cup without having to play the final.

The path to the current Super Cup

The first team to win a Spanish Super Cup has been one of the stars of this edition. Real Sociedad beat Real Madrid 1982 in the first final of the competition. Previously, the tournament was called the Eva Duarte Cup, but finally it ended up giving rise to the Spanish Super Cup. Another novelty arrived in 1995, because until that moment, if the league champion had also won the Copa del Rey, the tournament was not played and was delivered directly.

Luis Rubiales, current President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, last season revolutionized this competition with the aim of filling it with incentives for fans and the rest of the world. Thus, a new competition system was established, the famous Final four, and moved the final of the tournament outside of Spanish borders. Thus, Saudi Arabia became the new venue for this competition for the next three years, following in the footsteps of Tangier, the city that hosted the Spanish Super Cup for the 2017/2018 season. However, the pandemic generated by the coronavirus has returned the tournament to the national territory and has forced postponement of the agreement signed between the RFEF and the Saudi country.

The main novelty this year has been found among the participants, as the final of the Copa del Rey last season has not yet been played. Thus, Real Sociedad and Athletic Club, candidates to win the KO tournament, have met their rivals, Real Madrid and Barcelona, ​​through a conditional draw.

A “classic” of Spanish football to close the edition

Athletic Club and Barcelona have met once again in an exciting denouement of the competition. First, Koeman's men reached the final after suffering against Real Sociedad in the penalty shootout, while the Basques achieved their classification after beating Real Madrid during regulation time with a controversial clash.

Barcelona, ​​undisputed super champion

The trophy that proclaims the super champion of Spain highlights one name above the rest. In this case, is the Barcelona Football Club. The Blaugranas keep a total of thirteen Spanish Super Cups in 23 participations. Then Real Madrid appears, winner of the trophy eleven times. Far distant from these two are the Deportivo de la Coruña (3), Athletic (3) and Atlético de Madrid (2). Finally, Valencia, Mallorca, Real Sociedad, Zaragoza and Seville have won the title on one occasion

Ranking of the teams with the most Spanish Super Cups