Real Madrid lifted a second successive UEFA Super Cup after a 2-1 victory over Manchester United in Macedonia.
In the battle of last season’s European trophy winners, it was the Champions League holders who took the lead with Casemiro opening the scoring in the 24th minute.
Zinedine Zidane’s side doubled their lead in the 53rd minute through Isco and were in total control until Romelu Lukau pulled one back for the Europa League winners.
United rallied late on with substitute Marcus Rashford denied by Keylor Navas and it was Real who held on to become the first team to win successive UEFA Super Cups since AC Milan in 1989 and 1990.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho admitted on Monday that he would “fight” for Gareth Bale’s return to English football should Real Madrid leave the Wales international out of Real Madrid’s squad for the game in Macedonia.
But Bale started and was straight into the action, latching onto Marcelo’s deflected cross but his effort failed to trouble David De Gea.
Real enjoyed the majority of the possession in the opening stages and they should have been ahead in the 17th minute but Casemiro, from close range, saw a header cannon back off the crossbar.
