UEFA Super Cup, 2018: Real Madrid 2-4 Atletico Madrid - 5 Talking Points

#3 World Cup stars might still only be getting to their best shape

Griezmann and Varane looked far from their best

The prominent World Cup stars who returned to their respective clubs for the UEFA Super Cup clash looked far from convincing on the night. Notably, Antoine Griezmann and Raphael Varane were strikingly off the pace, suggesting that the duo along with a few others might still only be getting back to their best shape after their World Cup exploits in Russia last month.

Griezmann struggled to complement his teammates on the pitch and was largely anonymous in the game before being replaced by Angel Correa just before the hour mark while Varane looked uncharacteristically slow while getting to the ball and was partly at fault when the Los Blancos conceded the early goal.

Furthermore, Varane's slip in the build-up to Saul Niguez's goal in extra-time suggested that the defender was not the same player we saw in Russia last month and it seems like the lack of pre-season involvement has taken a toll on some of these stars.