Real Madrid and Sevilla poised for Uefa Super Cup rendezvous

Los Blancos head into the clash, which pits the winners of the Champions League against the Europa League champions, missing two key players in Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

It’s not a secret that Real Madrid was chasing Andre Gomes who then moved to Barcelona.

Ronaldo, Bale, Pepe and Kroos are notable absentees, omitted after returning later than the rest of the squad due to participating in the European Championship.

The Andalusians have lost both previous finals, once to Real Madrid, 2-0 in 2014 when Ronaldo scored both goals and also past year to Barcelona in a thrilling match which saw the Catalans edge it 5-4. Many teams were interested in the star striker but it took a few years before we saw him play in Europe.

If they lacked some attacking power last season and had some troubles on the left-hand side of the defence when Benzema or Marcelo was out, now Zidane has Coentrao and Morata as backup options.

Real Madrid take on Sevilla in UEFA’s traditional curtain-raiser on Tuesday.

He watched from the substitutes’ bench as Madrid won the Champions League final against city rivals Atletico in May and is delighted to be given the chance to start in a European showpiece event. “The most important thing is that he is with us and that he have no further problems”.

It will be very important for Madrid to control the tempo of the game as Konoplyanka and Vietto are two very risky players off counterattacks.

“This is a Copa match that we both want to win”, he said.

In the last four seasons, Sevilla has generated $285M in outgoing players, yet every season they find cheaper, and more talented, replacements.

“Pre-season went very well and it gave us the time to ready ourselves”.

“There are young lads who’ve come up from the youth teams and are raring to go”.

The sides have met 177 times in all competitions, with Madrid recording 94 wins to Sevilla’s 54.