Madrid rivals clash in Super Cup today

TALLINN: With both Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane gone and Julen Lopetegui in, a new era at Real Madrid officially begins when they face city rivals Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup in Tallinn on Wednesday evening.

Lopetegui will be eager to seize the chance to get his hands on a first piece of silverware since replacing Zidane, who quit the Spanish giants days after leading them to a third successive Champions League crown against Liverpool in May. Real’s announcement that Lopetegui would take over led to him being sensationally sacked by Spain on eve of the World Cup in Russia.

La Roja went on to lose on penalties to the hosts in the last 16 with Fernando Hierro in charge, and the 51-year-old Lopetegui has now turned the page to a new chapter in his career. It has been a turbulent summer at times for Real, with Ronaldo having been sold and no marquee signing brought in to replace him. Pre-season results have been largely positive, but Lopetegui could hardly have been handed a tougher start in his first competitive outing.