Courtois helps Madrid beat Valencia to reach Super Cup final

Thibaut Courtois was the star for Real Madrid as they beat Valencia 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Riyadh on Wednesday to reach the Spanish Super Cup final.

The reigning Super Cup champions were below their best again amid a difficult start to 2023, but Courtois excelled, making crucial saves and then decisively denying Jose Gaya in the shootout after extra-time.

Madrid will go on to play either Barcelona or Real Betis, who play Thursday, in Sunday's final.

La Liga champions Madrid, facing the Spanish Cup runners-up, had chances to win the game within 90 minutes but needed Courtois to make a stunning reflex save from Fran Perez in extra-time.

Karim Benzema had sent Madrid ahead from the penalty spot but Gennaro Gattuso's side levelled at the start of the second half through Samuel Lino.

Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili also made some excellent stops, including one from Vinicius Junior in stoppage time, forcing the additional period.

"Courtois is one of the best four or five goalkeepers in the world, (but) my goalkeeper made four or five very good saves," said Gattuso.

"We didn't have luck on our side, that's football. You have to have luck and today we didn't have it. We missed two penalties."

The first was fired over by Eray Comert, who also gave away the penalty converted by Benzema, and the second parried by Courtois, who read Gaya's intention to shoot down the middle.

"Obviously as a goalkeeper you have to study penalties," Courtois told Movistar.

"Gaya missed his last one against Sevilla on the left, and scored his last one down the middle against Betis, so we knew he was going to shoot there."

The Spanish Super Cup was first held in Saudi Arabia in 2020 in the current "final four" format -- and will remain in