RIYADH: Thibaut Courtois was the hero for Real Madrid as they beat Valencia 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Riyadh on Wednesday to reach the Spanish Super Cup final.
The reigning Super Cup champions were below their best again amid a difficult start to 2023, but Courtois excelled, making crucial saves and then decisively denying Jose Gaya in the shootout.
Madrid will go on to play either Barcelona or Real Betis, who play Thursday, in Sunday’s final.
La Liga champions Madrid, facing the Spanish Cup runners-up, had chances to win the game within 90 minutes but needed Courtois to make a stunning reflex save from Fran Perez in extra-time.
The Spanish Super Cup was first held in Saudi Arabia in 2020 in the current “final four” format — and will remain in the country until at least 2029, despite criticism over the hosts’ human rights record.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who was without recently injured duo Aurelien Tchouameni and David Alaba, started with Nacho at left-back and brought Fede Valverde into the midfield trio.
Los Blancos started strongly, with Benzema producing a glorious dribble, but Cenk Ozkacar did well to cut him off and block the French striker’s shot.
Courtois kept out Edinson Cavani’s header and then did enough to put off Toni Lato, who burst in from the right and appealed in vain for a penalty when he slipped.
Madrid took the lead shortly before half-time, when Eder Militao played a fine ball over the top to send Benzema through.
The forward was clumsily felled in the area by Eray Comert and tucked away the resulting penalty, sending Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili the wrong way.
Courtois made a stunning save to deny Cavani before the break, although the veteran Uruguayan forward was offside.
It was a warning for what was to come, with Samuel Lino scoring just seconds after the restart, escaping Lucas Vazquez to finish Lato’s cross.
Madrid had further bad luck with injury, with Vazquez appearing to sustain a knee problem, while Militao was withdrawn after being hit in the head with a shot.
Vinicius Junior, who had been quiet, should have won the game for Madrid in stoppage time but Mamardashvili denied him with his legs from close range.
The Valencia goalkeeper denied the Brazilian again and made a fine save to keep out a vicious Toni Kroos drive in extra-time as Madrid turned the screw.
It was his counterpart Courtois’s turn to make a miraculous save as the clocked ticked down, showing sensational reflexes to deflect Perez’s near-post effort to safety.
Cavani and Benzema both converted from the spot in the shoot-out but Comert completed a poor individual night by firing over the bar and Luka Modric put Madrid ahead.
Los Blancos converted all four of their spot-kicks and did not need a fifth when Courtois read Gaya’s intentions and saved his effort down the middle.
Thibaut Courtois heroics help Madrid beat Valencia in Saudi Arabia to reach Spanish Super Cup final
https://arab.news/55s25
Thibaut Courtois heroics help Madrid beat Valencia in Saudi Arabia to reach Spanish Super Cup final
- The Spanish Super Cup was first held in Saudi Arabia in 2020 in the current “final four” format
World No. 5 Elena Rybakina to headline strong field at 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open
- The 2022 Wimbledon champion joins defending champion Belinda Bencic and Spanish favorite Paula Badosa for the event from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7
- Rising stars Victoria Mboko and Alexandra Eala continue breakthrough journeys at WTA 500 platform
ABU DHABI: One of the strongest fields in its history has been unveiled for this year’s Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion and world No. 5 Elena Rybakina will head an exciting line-up featuring Grand Slam winners, Olympic medalists and the sport’s most exciting rising stars when the WTA 500 tournament returns to the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7.
The Kazakh powerhouse, who won the tournament in 2024, has established herself as one of the game’s elite competitors. Since her triumph at Wimbledon, she has reached the 2023 Australian Open final and secured multiple WTA 500 and 1000 titles, including the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh where she brushed aside World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets.
“I really enjoyed my time in Abu Dhabi last year,” said Rybakina, who was defeated in the semi-finals by Bencic. “The city’s support for tennis is amazing, and reaching the semifinals was a solid way to begin 2025. This year, I’m coming back with the goal of going all the way again. The competition will be fierce, but that’s what makes it exciting.”
Rybakina will be joined by Belinda Bencic, who returns to defend her unbeaten record at the event. The Swiss Olympic gold medalist has lifted the trophy in both 2023 and 2025 and remains the only player never to have lost a match at the tournament.
Spanish favorite Paula Badosa adds further depth to the elite contingent. A former world No. 2 and Indian Wells champion, Badosa brings explosive power and fierce competitiveness to a field that promises compelling matches throughout the week.
The tournament’s commitment to the next generation is underlined by the confirmation of two of 2025’s most compelling breakthrough stars. Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko, who rocketed from outside the world’s top 300 at the start of 2025 to inside the top 20 following titles in Montreal and Hong Kong, continues her remarkable rise on the WTA Tour.
Joining her is Filipina star Alexandra Eala, who returns to Abu Dhabi following her 2024 debut. The 20-year-old former US Open girls’ champion has continued her steady climb through the rankings and remains the highest-ranked Filipino player in tour history.
Czech duo Barbora Krejcikova, a multiple Grand Slam champion in both singles and doubles, and Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, bring proven track records while American rising star Emma Navarro, Denmark’s Clara Tauson and Canada’s Leylah Fernandez — the 2023 French Open finalist — add further depth to an already formidable lineup.
The field also features former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who captured the 2025 doubles title in Abu Dhabi alongside Ellen Perez. Chinese star Qinwen Zheng, Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska and 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin round out a top 20 that promises world-class tennis from the opening qualifiers through to the championship weekend.
Further elite talent includes Ekaterina Alexandrova and Liudmila Samsonova, Belgium’s Elise Mertens, Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia, American McCartney Kessler and Australian Maya Joint.
Nigel Gupta, MARI tournament director, said: “The 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open field represents everything this tournament has become — a compelling blend of Grand Slam champions, Olympic medalists and the sport’s most exciting emerging talent. Elena Rybakina’s arrival as our top seed adds tremendous star power, while Belinda’s pursuit of a third title and the inclusion of breakthrough stars like Victoria Mboko and Alexandra Eala demonstrate our commitment to showcasing both today’s champions and tomorrow’s legends. This is shaping up to be our strongest edition yet.”
