Norwegian Trondheim.
This was the first time Norway had hosted the final of a European-level competition, even if it was only the European Super Cup.
They had flown from Madrid's sweltering midsummer heat to Norway, where the temperature had plunged to thirteen degrees. Worse yet, the heavens had begun to rain. The damp, chilly weather left both participating teams seriously uncomfortable.
Real Madrid and Sevilla were both from the Iberian Peninsula.
The stadium was not very large. Nearly twenty thousand local fans had filled the stands, along with more than three thousand Spanish supporters who had traveled to the away match. Spain's newly appointed head coach Lopetegui was also in the stands, scouting the players from both teams.
Zidane had shown plenty of respect as well, fielding an almost entirely Spanish international lineup.
Navas was in goal. The back four consisted of Marcelo, Javi Martínez, Ramos, and Carvajal. Isco, Casemiro, and De Bruyne formed the midfield, while Asensio, Morata, and Vázquez led the attack.
Real Madrid still had not fielded its strongest lineup. Their next two matches would be the Spanish Super Cup clashes against archrivals Barcelona, two crucial examinations for Real Madrid.
Once the match began, Real Madrid played in a very straightforward manner. They made no deliberate attempt to dominate possession, which instead allowed Sevilla to enjoy more time on the ball. Even so, Real Madrid performed better.
The youngster Asensio had been one of Real Madrid's best performers in the preseason friendlies. The other was Marcelo, which was why Zidane had deployed him as a left winger in this match, replacing Hazard.
Young players needed recognition and rewards when they performed well. That would motivate them to keep working hard.
Sure enough, although Real Madrid were at a disadvantage after kickoff, Asensio became the most active