2020 Supercopa de España explained

Tourney Name:Supercopa de España
Year:2020
Country: Saudi Arabia
Dates:8–12 January 2020
Num Teams:4
City:Jeddah
Champion Other:Real Madrid
Count:11
Second Other:Atlético Madrid
Matches:3
Goals:9
Top Scorer:Nine players
(1 goal each)
Prevseason:2018
Nextseason:2021

The 2020 Supercopa de España was the 36th edition of the Supercopa de España, an annual football competition for clubs in the Spanish football league system that were successful in its major competitions in the preceding season.

In February 2019, it was announced that the competition would be changed from a two-team format to four teams, which would include a semi-final round.[1] The semi-final round was played on 8 and 9 January 2020, and the final was held on 12 January; there was no third-place game.[2]

The final was contested between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, and was won by Real Madrid 4–1 on penalties, following a 0–0 draw after extra time, to win their eleventh Supercopa title.

It was played in Saudi Arabia after the Saudi government offered to pay 40 million euros for each of the next three seasons.[3]

Qualification

The tournament was supposed to feature the winners and runners-up of the 2018–19 Copa del Rey and 2018–19 La Liga. However, as Barcelona were La Liga winners and Copa del Rey runners-up, the extra spot was awarded to La Liga third-placed Real Madrid.[4]

Qualified teams

The following four teams qualified for the tournament.

TeamMethod of qualificationAppearanceLast appearance asPrevious performance
Winner(s)Runners-up
Valencia2018–19 Copa del Rey winners5th2008 runners-up13
Barcelona2018–19 La Liga winners and 2018–19 Copa del Rey runners-up24th2018 winners1310
Atlético Madrid2018–19 La Liga runners-up7th2014 winners24
Real Madrid2018–19 La Liga third place16th2017 winners105

Draw

The draw was held on 11 November at the Royal Spanish Football Federation headquarters, in La Ciudad del Fútbol. There was no restriction in it.[5] [6]

Matches

Semi-finals

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Final

See main article: 2020 Supercopa de España Final.

Criticism

The Spanish section of Amnesty International criticized the election of Saudi Arabia as the playground, citing the situation of human rights, specifically the death penalty, the Saudi intervention in Yemen, murder of Jamal Khashoggi, freedom of expression and the situation of women's rights.[7] The Spanish government had also disapproved the possibility of playing in Saudi Arabia.[8] The president of the RFEF, Luis Rubiales negotiated with Saudi authorities that, during the competition, female spectators could sit anywhere in the stadium, not being limited to a women-exclusive area.[3] AI approved the achievement but contended that it is not enough.[9]

Saudi authorities had already brought the 2019 Supercoppa Italiana to the country.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rubiales propondrá el formato final four para la Supercopa rfef.es . www.rfef.es . 19 February 2019 . 19 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190219183501/http://www.rfef.es/noticias/rubiales-propondra-formato-final-four-supercopa . dead .
  2. Web site: Supercopa de España 2019–20: nuevo formato, cuándo se juega, dónde y equipos. goal.com. 5 August 2019.
  3. News: Kohan . Marisa . Así es Arabia Saudí, el país que albergará la Supercopa y que viola derechos humanos . 14 June 2020 . www.publico.es . 15 November 2019 . es.
  4. Web site: Supercopa de España. www.rfef.es. 13 January 2022.
  5. Web site: OFICIAL El sorteo de la Supercopa de España será este lunes, 11 de noviembre. Royal Spanish Football Federation. es. 7 November 2019. The draw of the Supercopa de España will be this monday, 11 November. 7 November 2019. 7 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191107173350/https://www.rfef.es/noticias/oficial-sorteo-supercopa-espana-este-lunes-11-noviembre. dead.
  6. News: Real Madrid face Valencia while Barcelona meet Atletico Madrid in Supercopa de Espana semi-finals. Marca. 11 November 2019. 11 November 2019.
  7. News: Sportyou . Amnistía Internacional pide a la RFEF que se replantee la Supercopa de España en Arabia Saudí . 14 June 2020 . 20 Minutos . 2 October 2019 . es.
  8. News: Sportyou . El Gobierno desaprueba celebrar la Supercopa de España en Arabia Saudí, pero la RFEF tiene más ofertas . 14 June 2020 . 20 Minutos . 27 September 2019 . es.
  9. News: García . Domingo . Las peticiones de Amnistía Internacional para la Supercopa en Arabia Saudí . 14 June 2020 . La Razón . 15 November 2019 . es.