Pandora Hughes
Reigning Spanish champions Real Madrid are the big favorites to win the UEFA Super Cup for the fifth time ahead of their Helsinki clash with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Who do Bettors Favor?
Checking out the best-rated online sportsbooks it is not a surprise to find that Real Madrid are the big favorites for this game. You won’t be able to wager on the Spanish champions at much longer odds than around -200, while the draw is around +340. Frankfurt, playing in their first ever UEFA Super Cup are not given much hope at prices between +480 and +550.
| UEFA Super Cup |  |  |
| Real Madrid | -200 | -208 |
| Draw | +335 | +330 |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | +550 | +480 |
UEFA Super Cup History
The UEFA Super Cup is an early-season game played between the winners of the Champions League and the Europa League from the preceding season.
The Super Cup has a long history, in fact, it was first played in 1972 and became an official UEFA tournament in 1973. At that point, it was played between the winners of the old European Cup and one of the other two European competitions, the UEFA Cup or the Cup Winners’ Cup.
Since 1998, the fixture has been played as a single game at a neutral venue. Until 2013, that venue was in Monaco, but since then, nine different stadiums have been used. This year the game will be played at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki: the first time that the game has been staged in Finland.
Real Madrid Super Cup Regulars
As one of European football’s most famous clubs it will not be a surprise to learn that Real Madrid are UEFA Super Cup regulars. They have played it seven times, making them the joint second most frequent participants with Milan and behind only Barcelona. Their last appearance came in 2018, though it ended in disappointment as they lost out 4-2 to city rivals Atletico Madrid in extra time.
They will naturally be favorites for this game, after an impressive 2021-22 campaign in which they won both La Liga and the Champions League. This summer has been relatively quiet in terms of new signings for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, and although the departures of Gareth Bale and Marcelo mark the end of an era, neither were regulars last season. And for Ancelotti and his players, there will be far more important challenges to come over the next few months.
Frankfurt Making First UEFA Super Cup Appearance
This will be Eintracht Frankfurt’s first UEFA Super Cup appearance as their previous European trophy success – the UEFA Cup in 1980 – was earned at a time when the Cup Winners’ Cup and not the UEFA Cup provided a ticket for the UEFA Super Cup.
Last season’s campaign will live long in the memories of Frankfurt fans. Although they finished eleventh in the Bundesliga, their Europa League heroics included going undefeated in the Group Stage and then overcoming Real Betis, Barcelona and West Ham on the way to the final, where a nail-biting game ended in a penalty shootout, in which the German side won 5-4.
One of the most notable features of their success was their ability to pick up crucial wins on the road. Against Betis, Barcelona and West Ham, they won the away leg of the fixture, and that means they won’t consider playing at this neutral venue to be a disadvantage.
UEFA Super Cup Betting Picks
The UEFA Super Cup has an unusual position in the European soccer trophy pecking order. It is not considered to be one of the major events, certainly since the advent of the Champions League, and in many ways is just a confirmation of a team’s recent success, though there is still a certain prestige to be gained from claiming to be the overall champion of European football.
The result is that many teams approach it as an early season warm-up, which can lead to some unpredictable or scrappy games. But few teams will be going all out, risking injuries to key players in order to win this trophy, which means there is not the same intensity in the closing minutes of Super Cup games that would be expected in other competitions. Add in the fact that by definition, the game is usually contested by two of Europe’s best teams and the result is very few normal-time wins.
In fact, seven of the last ten UEFA Super Cups have gone to extra time – an extraordinary statistic even by the standards of top-level European knockout soccer. This has to be a major factor when considering any UEFA Super Cup betting pick. In addition, although Real Madrid are the stronger team, the fact that this will be their first competitive game of the season, while Frankfurt have already been in action may reduce the gap between the two teams, so the normal time draw looks a good bet here.
Best Online Sportsbooks to Bet on UEFA Soccer
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