LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said his side’s intensity had been the decisive factor in their 2-0 victory over north London derby rivals Tottenham Hotspur yesterday.
Quick-fire first-half goals from Shkodran Mustafi and Alexis Sanchez at a drizzly Emirates Stadium earned Arsenal a first win over Tottenham since March 2014.
It was Arsenal’s 11th successive home victory in league football and left them a point behind Spurs, who finished above them last season for the first time since 1995.
“They had the urgency, the desire and the focus,” Wenger said. “In a derby like that, that plays a part. We didn’t lose the defensive focus for 90 minutes.”
Wenger also hailed the display of German playmaker Mesut Ozil, who departed to a standing ovation late in the second half after an uncharacteristically battling performance.
“I’m convinced that Mesut Ozil adds physicality to his game and when he needs it, he can produce it,” the Frenchman told Sky Sports.
“He got a standing ovation because he added to the team’s defensive job. He’s not a specialist in that, but he can do that because he’s an intelligent man.”
Spurs manager Mauricio Poch-ettino was unhappy about the free-kick that led to Mustafi’s 36th-minute opener, which was awarded for a challenge on Sanchez by Davinson Sanchez that looked clean.
Mustafi was also narrowly offside as Ozil struck his free-kick and Arsenal profited from the benefit of the doubt in a possible offside call against Alexandre Lacazette before Sanchez’s goal.
“You saw what happened during the game,” Pochettino said. “I’m disappointed because the small details were against us, which makes it difficult to win.”
Asked about which “small details” he was referring to, Pochettino replied: “The free-kick. And I think it was offside. In this type of game, when you play against a top-six side like Arsenal, the small details change games and put the game on one side.”
Wenger said: “I don’t see where the referee’s decisions went for us. For me, the foul (by Sanchez on Sanchez) was a foul. I can give you plenty of games since the start of the season when we had bad luck.”
Arsenal claim bragging rights in north London
Arsenal claim bragging rights in north London
Real Madrid victory in Super Cup semi-final sets up fourth consecutive El Clásico in Saudi Arabia
- Early Valverde rocket set the tone for a physical encounter in front of a packed Al-Inma Stadium
- 55,651 fans attended the match, topping Barcelona-Athletic Bilbao’s crowd by more than 5,000
JEDDAH: While Wednesday saw a sea of blue and red take over Al-Inma Stadium, Thursday belonged almost entirely to the colour white. The second semi-final of the 2026 Spanish Super Cup pitted Madrid Derby rivals Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid against each other in a fiercely contested encounter that ignited within the opening two minutes and ended with a 2-1 victory to Real Madrid.
In the first minute of the game, Real Madrid won a free kick from a position that appeared harmless, but Federico Valverde had other ideas. The Uruguayan unleashed a thunderous long-range strike that flew into the net, sending the stadium into raptures almost immediately.
Despite the early breakthrough, Real Madrid did not dominate proceedings. Atlético controlled much of the shot count, pushing relentlessly as they attempted to overcome the forged “home” advantage enjoyed by their city rivals in Jeddah.
That advantage was not driven solely by Saudi supporters. Ahead of kick-off, official broadcaster Thmanyah Sports got hold of a Real Madrid fan from Iraq who praised the organisation of the event and thanked Saudi Arabia for providing fans from across the region the opportunity to watch their team live.
Atlético didn’t plan on sending those fans home with a smile. They forced Thibaut Courtois into action on multiple occasions, with his save from a corner mid-way into the first half proving key in preserving Real’s lead.
Real did get close to doubling their advantage in the 27th minute when Rodrygo found himself through on goal, executing a trademark Ronaldo chop to beat his marker before being denied by Jan Oblak.
Atlético resumed their push after the break. In the 49th minute, they looked to find Julián Álvarez with a dangerous cross, but Antonio Rüdiger reacted sharply to step in and clear.
Once again, it was Real Madrid’s individual quality that made the difference. Valverde split the defence with a perfectly weighted through ball, releasing Rodrygo, who calmly slotted past Oblak in the 55th minute.
Atlético responded with increased vigour almost immediately. A slick move down the right flank culminated in a cross from Giuliano Simeone, which Alexander Sørloth powered home beyond Raúl Asencio in the 58th minute to bring the contest back to life.
As Atlético pushed for an equaliser, the Real Madrid fans rallied behind their team with chants familiar to Jeddah. Borrowing from one of Al-Ahli’s most popular anthems — one that engulfed Middle Eastern football in recent years — the crowd sang in unison: “For Real we came, from every city.”
Atlético were not fazed, as they came agonisingly close to levelling soon after. Antoine Griezmann produced a spectacular overhead kick from close range, only for Courtois to make another vital save. Moments later, Marcos Llorente broke through on the right once more, but his effort drifted wide.
Llorente continued to threaten, curling another attempt — this time from outside the box — but once again failed to find the target as Atlético searched desperately for a way back into the game.
Ultimately, Real Madrid managed to emerge unscathed, as they held on for the 2-1 victory.
Sunday will see the Al-Inma Stadium host once again, as Barcelona and Real Madrid face off in the fourth consecutive El Clásico Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia. Barcelona won the first encounter in 2023, followed by a 4-1 victory by Real in 2024, before Barcelona rallied to a 5-2 victory in the 2025 edition.
