KP’s Euro Bite No. 4: The Taste of the Curtain Raisers – What can we learn from “Super Cup” success?

By Kate Partridge. The new English Premier League season has kicked-off, with Community Shield winners Arsenal snatching a late victory over Crystal Palace. But how often does lifting the "Super Cup" lead to claiming the title? Kate Partridge looks at Europe's curtain raisers.

There’s nothing like discovering a surprise German football result in a surprise Italian restaurant in West Bromwich. A pre-season trip to the Midlands doesn’t usually involve the chance to speak rusty Italian either. Happily, a Milan-mad waiter and the desire to know the outcome of the Super Cup meant I could relish both, along with the arrabbiata.

As the leagues across Europe prepare their own tables for another season, with some already underway, the continent’s Community Shield equivalents are now almost complete. But how reliable are these curtain raisers as indicators of potential champions?

At Wembley last weekend, a vibrant Arsenal beat an undercooked Manchester City 3-0 – a triumph for the FA Cup winners over the Premier League champions. Last year, Manchester United won the opening showpiece, but City claimed the title. In 2011, ditto. But in 2010, United won both. In fact, United have won the league and the “Super Cup” twenty times each. Yet the seasons in which United have gone on to win both is just six.

As for that result in Germany, Borussia Dortmund had also got one over Bayern Munich. Goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang secured a deserved 2-0 victory at their own Signal Iduna Park. Satisfaction for coach Juergen Klopp, the players, and the fans. Former home favourites Robert Lewandowski and Mario Goetze were tasting defeat in their rivals’ colours.

However, a year ago, on the same ground and in the same competition, Dortmund also beat Bayern 4-2 – and then went on to finish a daunting 19 points behind their archrivals, as well as being beaten by them in the Cup final. Bayern might have lost the Super Cup, but they went on to seal a record 24^th Bundesliga crown with seven weeks to spare.

In fact, of the five times that Bayern have won the Super Cup, they have only gone on to win the league once. Losing the opener seems only to rouse the Bavarians to greater glory. Dortmund, Schalke, Bayer Leverkusen et al – brace yourselves.

In Italy, the Supercoppa is a decidedly movable feast. Staged across Italy and in locations as varied and exotic as the US, Libya and China, the 27th edition is TBC. The finalists however remain the Serie A and Coppa Italia winners, respectively Juventus and Napoli. The two will meet in the final for the third time, each winning once, with all three of Napoli’s appearances coming against Juve.

In contrast, the bianconeri are making a record 10th appearance and have gone on to win the league after four of their six Supercoppa triumphs. The Old Lady also likes an all-inclusive cruise – winning aboard as well as at home. Unlike their English and German counterparts, it seems the Italian entrée is a hint of league success. No pressure there then on new Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri.

Carlo Ancelotti won the Supercoppa both as a player and manager with Milan – and can now add the European Super Cup to his distinguished CV. Unsurprisingly, a Real Madrid side including two-goal Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez beat Europa League winners Sevilla 2-0 in Cardiff to win the prestigious Euro opener.

According to Bale, that piece of silverware is the first of six Real have set their sights on. The two-legged domestic Supercopa final against city rivals Atletico represents trophy number two. However, the nine-time winners have only twice clinched the season’s starter and then been crowned champions at the end of it.

Paris St. Germain are, like Monaco, four-time winners of the Trophée des Champions, though the principality side have not made an appearance in the final for 14 years. PSG, on the other hand, have triumphed in the last two.

Since 2009, the French Super Cup has also been a wandering minstrel, playing at venues as varied as Canada, Tunisia, Morocco, the US, Gabon, and most recently China, where Laurent Blanc’s men beat Guingamp 2-0. Two goals from last term’s top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic added the garnish, as the swashbuckling Swede picked up from where he had left off.

Elsewhere, Ajax have won the Johan Cruyff shield eight times and thence the Eredivisie four. Benfica have just lifted Supertaça Candido de Oliveira number five, though have subsequently claimed only one Primeira Liga. While under the new “western” format, twice Russian champions CSKA have recently wrapped up their second straight Super Cup.

So what does all this mean? In prediction terms, not a lot. One-off matches between league and cup winners are effectively cup finals in themselves. However, they are an opportunity for managers, players and fans to assess new signings, hone formations – and claim a piece of silverware. The Super Cups are also as much a boost for a club’s morale as they are indelible in a club’s history.

Few people usually remember the results or even the winners of these football hors d’oeuvres. But if it’s your team that has tasted victory, they can make for memorable starters.

Following Manchester United’s defeat at home to Swansea, can we read anything into pre-season success?

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