Sevilla fans have a song about how Barcelona and Real Madrid should leave the Primera Liga, play each other every week and leave the rest to fight out the league.
After their side had lost the Spanish Super Cup 5-0 on aggregate in Spain’s Super Cup after Wednesday’s 3-0 loss at Camp Nou in the second leg, their feeling was reinforced that there’s a glass ceiling which is impossible for them to break through, no matter how well they are run.
Sevilla are exceptionally well run, with some of the best recruitment in world football.
In the Europa League which Barca and Madrid do not enter, Sevilla have triumphed four times in the last decade. They fare worse when they come up against the better resourced foes.
Sevilla were defeated in the 2016 Copa del Rey final by Barca, plus the 2015 European Super Cup. They also lost to Real Madrid in the 2014 and 2016 European Super Cup.
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The already substantial haul of trophies at the club would be much bigger if it was not for Spain’s biggest two.
Following the second-leg victory, Barca coach Luis Enrique made the point if a team wins the Primera Liga and the Copa del Rey (Sevilla were runners-up) then it made no sense to play a Super Cup.
He had reason, but then he would also just enjoyed winning his eighth trophy, from a possible 10, as Barca coach in two years. He only won seven in his eight years as a player at Camp Nou.
His team won the Super Cup with ease, starting with a 2-0 victory in the first leg in Andalusia on Sunday night, with second-half goals from Luis Suarez and an exceptional Munir El Haddadi.
The youth product is a popular choice to be Barca’s fourth strike option beyond Lionel Messi, Neymar and Suarez.
The second leg afforded the Catalans a chance to play squad players and new signings. Enrique admitted that “we cannot count on just 11 players, but 22 or 23. It has to be done in a collective way. We are stronger like this”.
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Andre Gomes, Aleix Vidal, Arda Turan, Samuel Umitti, Denis Suarez, Munir and Lucas Digne all started. It also gave an opportunity for fans to show their appreciation to goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, who is expected to join Manchester City during this transfer window.
The Chilean, 33, is likely to double to his wages in Manchester, where he will join back up with the former Real Sociedad goalkeeper coach he long worked with.
Bravo’s career has improved better with time. He was twice a Copa America winner with Chile, but while his former national team boss Jorge Sampaoli managed to overcome Messi when he played for Argentina, Sampaoli struggled to do the same now he is in charge at Sevilla.
Nine minutes into Wednesday’s match, Messi set up Arda Turan who shot past Sergio Rico with his first touch.
In a 70,000-plus crowd packed with tourists who cheered Messi’s every touch, Barca were dominant, though Bravo was required to save a penalty – awarded after Umtiti handled – from Sevilla’s captain Vicente Iborra just before half time with the score still 1-0.
Turan got his second to make it 2-0 in the 47th minute, curling a loose ball which spun over Rico into the top corner from 25 yards.
Messi made it 3-0 and 5-0 on aggregate after 55 minutes when he got between defenders to head the ball across goal and into the net after a cross from Digne.
Gomes had combined well with Digne in the build up. It was the 100th Messi goal under Enrique, from 107 appearance.
He has also assisted a further 52 goals, yet his 29th Barca trophy was also his first Spanish Super Cup
“I’m very happy and satisfied with what I saw on the pitch, the performances of the players who are entering in to this dynamic,” said Enrique.
“Sevilla were good, above all at the start. The pressed, caused us problems and deserved a goal, as well as the penalty.
“But Bravo was very good. Arda’s goal put us in the game. I’m very happy about everything except for a Mascherano injury.”
Barca start their Primera Liga season against Sevilla’s neighbours Real Betis on Saturday in Camp Nou. Sevilla are at home to Barça’s neighbours Espanyol.
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