European champions Real Madrid are taking on UEFA Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt in the traditional opener to the new UEFA club competition season.
It will be the sides’ first competitive meeting since the sensational 1960 European Cup final, when Real Madrid won the competition for the fifth time in a row, beating Frankfurt 7-3 at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
Alfredo Di Stéfano scored three and Ferenc Puskás four for the winners, though Richard Kress briefly put Frankfurt in front and Erwin Stein struck twice for the German side in the second half.
View from the camps
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach: “Was last season the most amazing of my career? Perhaps so, yes. I’d never coached a team to a league and Champions League double. It’s down to the spirit, attitude, quality, enthusiasm of my players that we qualified to be here by winning the Champions League.”
Karim Benzema, Real Madrid forward: “There’s a final tomorrow, we’re brimming with ambition to win it – there’s no other option when you play for Real Madrid. What’s extra special is that to get here you have to win the Champions League. Now the task is to simply keep on winning.”
Oliver Glasner, Frankfurt coach: “This is the reward for our incredible season, to face a Real Madrid side that have incredible quality and last season knocked out some of the best teams in Europe. What we proved in the Europa League last season is that there’s always a chance and it’s the same tomorrow. We’re going to play with confidence because we know what we’re capable of.”
Kevin Trapp, Frankfurt goalkeeper:”Of course I have butterflies in my stomach because I’m looking forward to taking on Real Madrid in the Super Cup. My job is to keep the balls out, so my job hasn’t really changed. I know there’s going to be a lot of quality coming my way, whether it be Vinícius [Júnior] or [Karim] Benzema, but we’re ready.”
Possible starting line-ups
Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Éder Militão, Alaba, Mendy: Kroos, Casemiro, Modrić: Valverde, Benzema, Vinícius Júnior
Frankfurt: Trapp; Touré, Tuta, N’Dicka; Knauff, Sow, Rode, Lenz; Kamada, Götze; Borré
