After a month long siesta, the Lewnau Sports Bureau is back!  The World Cup winners France have been crowned, and the pre-season tours have come to an end.  Thus, it’s time to rev our footballing engines up once more for the 2018-19 club campaign.  What better way for LSB to start the season off, than with the UEFA Super Cup!  So without further ado, let’s delve into this tie.

Real Madrid CF V Club Atletico de Madrid
UEFA Super Cup | Madrid Derby
A Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia
Wednesday, August 15th, 2018    3:00PM EST        TNT

A new season of European football is set to kickoff this Wednesday, as last year’s Champions League (Real Madrid) and Europa League (Atletico Madrid) winners square off in Estonia.  Only three months may have past since these clubs were crowned champions of Europe, but a lot has happened since.  Most notably was the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinadine Zidane from Real.  Yup, that’s right, the two ultimate Galacticos have moved on.  Zidane, the only manger to win three successive Champions Leagues in his first three senior managerial seasons, is currently on sabbatical since resigning shortly after beating Liverpool in the UCL Final.  Meanwhile, Cristiano has taken his Ballons d’Or and Golden Boots to Turin, Itlay, where he’ll lead the Bianconeri line.  Thus, Los Merengeus will have a definite new look to them pitch side.  And this match against city rivals Atleti, will be the first time we get to se the new look squad in an official match.  The big question is, who’ll step up to fill Ronaldo’s gulf-sized void?

As for Atleti, they we’re big winners this off-season as their star forward, 2018 World Cup winner, Antoine Griezmann elected to stay with the club instead of moving east to Barcelona.  The possible transfer was highly publicized, with the Frenchman going so far as to create a hour long show, dubbed “The Decision”, to tell everyone that he’s remaining a Rojiblanco.  Needless to say Atleti fans are ecstatic, but I’d take cover the next time he visits the Camp Nou if I was him.  Pig’s face on pitch anyone?

As for the match come Wednesday, I have little idea of what to expect from Real.  The first match of the Post-Ronaldo-Era will likely see Bale and Benzema given more opportunities to score with Isco and Asensio playing provider.  I doubt Modric will start considering he hasn't featured at all during Real’s pre-season tour after earning a rest thanks to his Golden Ball performances during the World Cup.  Meanwhile, Atleti should be at full strength for this match, and boast a squad that hasn’t lost any full time starters.

LSB Prediction:  First and foremost, it’s a Madrid Derby.  And in derby games, often times the unexpected happens.  However, based upon the fact that Real is in a state of flux, and Atletico boasts zero major changes to its squad, I foresee Diego Simeone’s side winning this one.  Griezmann will play provider to Diego Costco for the first, with Diego Godin heading home the second.  2-0 Club Atletico de Madrid