Raúl García, from silencing the Bernabéu to a threat in Riyadh

Few things could be more pleasant for a footballer of the character of Raúl García than to silence the rival stadium with goals. If we go back to August 19, 2014, an overflowing Santiago Bernabéu still celebrated the goal of James Rodríguez, who after the 80th minute placed a very valuable 1-0 for the local team in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup, where Atlético defended the League title and Real Madrid the Copa del Rey.

However, that joy turned to disbelief when in minute 87 Raúl García deflected a corner combed at the near post with his heel and put a 1-1 that turned the situation around and it put the rojiblanco team in advantage for the return at the Vicente Calderón. Real Madrid would have to go to win the powerful colchonero fiefdom, where there was no room for a pin, and the first few changes they took a real slap in the face. GRiezmann combed a Moyá goal kick five minutes into the game and Mandzukic scored 1-0 that did not move in the rest of the game. It was the first goal of the Croatian and the first assistance of the French as colchoneros to ratify a title that now has a very different format.

For the second year, Saudi Arabia hosts the tournament (in 2021 the pandemic prevented it) and this time it is the capital, Riyadh, in charge of hosting the matches. Atlético wants to add a new title to its record and aspires to the second Spanish Super Cup of the Simeone era. In Jeddah, the Arab city that hosted the tournament in 2020, the final prize escaped on penalties against Real Madrid itself and after having eliminated Barça in the semifinals. And now, Athletic is the first stumbling block on the road where, if they overcome it, Real Madrid would wait in the final.

And if Atlético falters in defense, with Oblak suffering a dramatic stat of a goal conceded every two shots received and only two clean sheets in the last ten games (against Rayo Vallecano and Rayo Majadahonda)Against Athletic, Raúl García will face one of the great dangers in the semifinals. The Navarrese has been one of the most critical footballers with this new format of the Super Cup, and the transfer of the tournament to Saudi Arabia.

“I am very clear. That he goes to another country to play has the sense that we all know it has. It makes no sense to go there to play a game that had to be played here, this is a championship in our country. I am one of those from before, you no longer think about the fan, what matters is to generate and try to get sponsorships. We are forgetting about the basics in football, which is the environment, that the fans enjoy with the familyThat the schedules are the most comfortable for everyone ”, he explained before traveling to Riyadh.

Raúl García has disputed 15 games against Atlético, club in which he played seven seasons and reached 329 official matches, and has only achieved two goals (one with Osasuna in the 2005-06 season and another with Athletic in 2017). A game always special for him and of great emotion, but if for Raúl García there are never friends on the field in the rival team, even less with a title at stake. Simeone is looking for his second Spanish Super Cup directing Atlético and Raúl García his second Super Cup with Athletic, the third on his private account. If the atmosphere will be very different than in previous years in front of his fans, Raúl García measures the title mattress options in Riyadh.