Florentino Perez describes Zinedine Zidane as a 'blessing from heaven' after guiding Real Madrid to Spanish Super Cup title

Madrid clinch 11th Super Cup, and ninth of Zidane's career in charge, with shootout victory over city rivals Atletico

Real Madrid celebrate after winning the 2020 Spanish Super Cup final against Atletico Madrid at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. AP Photo

Real Madrid's Spanish defender Sergio Ramos and teammates celebrate after the match. AFP

Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois celebrates winning the Super Cup. Reuters

Real Madrid's Isco, Federico Valverde and Alphonse Areola celebrate. Reuters

Real Madrid players celebrate after winning the Spanish Super Cup final. EPA

Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos (L) receives the Cup. EPA

Sergio Ramos celebrates after scoring the decisive penalty in the shootout. EPA

Real Madrid players. EPA

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saves a penalty during the shootout. EPA

Atletico Madrid's Koke looks dejected as he poses in front of the trophy. Reuters

Atletico Madrid players look dejected during the penalty shootout before Real Madrid win the Super Cup. Reuters

Supporters of Real Madrid cheer during the Spanish Super Cup Final match between Atletico Madrid FC and Real Madrid at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, January 12, 2020. EPA/ALI ALQARNI

Real Madrid's Luka Jovic, left, fights for the ball with Atletico Madrid's Thomas Partey during the Spanish Super Cup Final soccer match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, January12, 2020. AP Photo/Hassan Ammar

Atletico Madrid players react at the end of the Spanish Super Cup Final soccer match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Monday, January 13, 2020. AP Photo/Hassan Ammar

From left to right, Real Madrid's Casemiro, Real Madrid's Marcelo, Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid's Eder Militao and Real Madrid's Rodrygo celebrate end the Spanish Super Cup Final soccer match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, January 12, 2020. AP Photo/Hassan Ammar

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez described manager Zinedine Zidane as “a blessing from heaven” after he guided the club to the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

The Bernabeu side defeated Atletico Madrid 4-1 on penalties at King Abdullah Sports City after the match in Jeddah finished goalless after extra-time. Saul and Thomas Partey failed to convert in the shootout, leaving Madrid captain Sergio Ramos to clinch the win.

His team had finished the match with 10 men after Federico Valverde was sent off late on for a professional foul on Alvaro Morata.

The victory was Madrid’s 11th Super Cup, and Zidane’s ninth trophy of his two spells at the club. The Frenchman, who returned to the dugout in March last year, boasts a 100 per cent record in finals as a manager. During his first stint in charge, he became the first coach to win three successive Champions League titles.

"[Zidane] has plenty of trophies and we're very happy for him," Perez said. "I hope that he wins more trophies.

"Zidane has a loving relationship with Real Madrid. He decided to rest for a year and now he's returned with renewed energy. Zidane is a blessing from heaven."

Perez said the team deserved particular credit given they arrived at the expanded competition, played in Saudi for the first time and kick-starting a three-year deal with the Kingdom, without several key players.

Eden Hazard, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Marcos Asensio were all missing, but that didn’t prevent Madrid from capturing their first trophy of the season. Currently joint-top of La Liga alongside Barcelona, they return to domestic action on Saturday at home to Sevilla.

"We came here without some great players, like Hazard, Benzema and Bale," Perez said. "Zidane has been able to put together a team and we won the trophy. We're on the path to finding ourselves again after a little dip. New people have come in who have given the team intensity and we're on a good path."

Perez also praised goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who was excellent on the night when called upon, including a fine save from Partey in the shootout.

"We brought [Courtois] here because we believe he's the best goalkeeper in the world, and he has been," Perez said. “He was one of the key players in the victory."

Meanwhile, Ramos said afterwards that superstition had dictated he take the fourth penalty, which just so happened to be the decisive one. The centre-back also claimed he was planning to attempt a "Panenka", but his ankle had seized up after he had earlier left the pitch to have treatment.

"Awards demonstrate [the club's success] more than words," Ramos said.

"It's the biggest and most successful club in the world for a reason and it's because it's won throughout its history, generation after generation.

"This is why Real Madrid is so big."

At 33, Ramos remains key to Madrid's assault on the game's premier prizes. He looks certain to became the most decorated player in the club's illustrious history, a mark currently held by Francisco Gento.

"I'm older now and I'm very patient," he said. "On a personal level, it's a special day for me. When [trophies] come in the latter years, you see it in a different way.

"It's always a challenge that I'm two trophies behind overtaking the player with the most in history. Let's hope I can do it."