On Wednesday, all football fans' eyes will turn to Tallinn - two football giants have arrived in the Estonian capital. In a stadium that holds 15,000 spectators, two Madrid clubs - "Real Madrid" and "Atletico" - will compete for the UEFA Super Cup trophy.
Every year, the winners of the Champions League and Europa League compete for this trophy. Fate decided that it would be the two clubs from the Spanish capital vying for the trophy - clubs accustomed to fighting only in the Champions League and in Spain.
Neither "Atletico" nor "Real Madrid" have played any official matches in the 2018-19 season yet. These matches will mark the official start of a new season for them, which in Spain will begin this weekend.
Madrid derby that has been stirring up excitement will start at 22:00 Lithuanian time.
Last Saturday, both clubs played their final friendly matches. Madrid "Real" won 3:1 against "Milan" in their stadium, while "Atletico" could not defeat the other Milan club, with "Inter" celebrating a 1:0 victory in their fortress.
During the preparation period, the royal club played four friendly matches - they lost to "Manchester United" in the first match, but then showed better and better performance and results: three victories against three Italian clubs.
Diego Simeone's proteges played five matches during the summer friendlies cycle. "Rojiblancos" only managed to secure one victory in regular time. They lost to "Paris Saint-Germain" and "Inter", won against "Arsenal" in a penalty shootout, and drew with "Stuttgart".
The two clubs avoided serious injuries - only Jesus Vallejo and Alvaro Odriozola have no chance of participating due to their injuries.
It is difficult to predict which players the two coaches will choose in their starting lineups. Luka Modric, Raphael Varane, Antoine Griezmann, and Lucas Hernandez participated in the World Cup final, so it is unclear if all four players will start in the starting lineups.
Predicted starting lineups:
"Real Madrid": (4-3-3) Keylor Navas; Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Toni Kroos, Casemiro, Isco; Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio.
"Atletico": (4-4-2) Jan Oblak; Juanfran, Jose Gimenez, Diego Godin, Filipe Luis; Koke, Rodri, Saul Niguez, Thomas Lemar; Antoine Griezmann, Diego Costa.
Interesting facts:
This will be the first time in Super Cup history that two teams from the same city face each other.
Out of the 42 Super Cup finals held so far, UEFA Champions League winners have won 23 times. The last time a Europa League winner triumphed in this competition was in 2012 when "Atletico" beat "Chelsea".
Madrid's "Real" can become the first team to win the Super Cup three times in a row.
"Real Madrid" and "Atletico" have faced each other nine times in Europe, and "Atletico" has never been able to defeat the "Real" team in finals or eliminate them from the knockout stage.
