Riyadh, January 16 (BNA): Barcelona’s title with coach Xavi – and without Lionel Messi – is finally over.
Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-1 on Sunday to win the Spanish Super Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and give its fans reasons to celebrate again after a renovation process that began following Messi’s departure from Paris Saint-Germain and the arrival of former player Xavi. as coach in 2021.
“We went through some difficult years, with financial difficulties, Messi’s departure,” said Xavi. “It wasn’t easy to bring back a positive dynamic. It will help give us some peace of mind. We worked hard from the start despite all the criticism and we have to keep working.”
Barcelona has not lifted any title since the 2021 King’s Cup under the leadership of former coach Ronald Koeman. This was Messi’s 35th and final trophy with Barcelona before he left amid the club’s financial difficulties.
Robert Lewandowski, Javi and Badri each scored in the final at King Fahd Stadium to give Barcelona their first Super Cup title since 2018, their 14th title overall and their first since the tournament began being played as a Final Four in 2020 profitably. Deal for the Spanish Football Federation.
Gavi opened the scoring in the 33rd minute from close range after being assisted by Lewandowski, who doubled the lead after assisting Gavi in a breakaway just before half-time. Javi also set up Pedri’s goal from close range in another breakaway in the 69th minute.
Karim Benzema scored for Real Madrid late into stoppage time.
“We knew we couldn’t miss this opportunity,” Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets said. “We’ve been through changes at the club and I think this victory will make us stronger and allow us to keep competing, to keep growing and to keep fighting for titles.
“It’s clear that at Barcelona you always have to win,” Busquets said. “We knew it would be like this after Xavi’s arrival, and now we’ve finally been able to do it.”
Real Madrid were trying to win their second consecutive Super Cup title in Saudi Arabia, equaling Barcelona’s record of 13 Super Cup titles.
“It’s a difficult loss and we have to learn from it,” said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. “We will get better and come back.”
Real Madrid eliminated Barcelona in the semi-finals of last season, but the Spanish powers have never met in the final of the revamped competition.
Both teams needed penalties to beat their opponents in the semifinals. Real Madrid beat Valencia and Barcelona beat Real Betis.
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1 at home in the first “El Clasico” of the season at the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga in October. It trails Barcelona by three points in the league this season.
Traditionally, the Super Cup is played between the champions of La Liga and the winners of the Copa del Rey. Now the runner-up in both competitions also participates. Madrid played as league champions and Barcelona as league runners-up. Betis won the cup title at the expense of Valencia last season.
The current contract to play the Super Cup in Saudi Arabia runs until the 2024-25 season despite criticism over the country’s human rights record.
Atlético finished the league
Atletico Madrid tied 1-1 with Almeria Stadium in the Spanish League, and remained in fourth place, tied on points with fifth-placed Villarreal and sixth-placed Real Betis.
Ángel Correa put Atlético ahead in the 18th minute, but Bilal Toure equalized for the hosts in the 37th minute. Atletico defender Sergio Reguilon entered the match as a substitute in the 67th minute but was sent off with successive yellow cards in the 89th minute.
Atlético were coming off a 1-0 loss at home to leaders Barcelona, 13 points ahead of Atlético.
Almería, who had not achieved any victory in three consecutive league matches, remained in thirteenth place.
Earlier on Sunday, Espanyol moved clear of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win over Getafe, with Joselo scoring the hosts’ first goal with a strike from near the halfway line as the Getafe goalkeeper was knocked out of position.
Madrid, the defending champions, finished second, while Real Sociedad, who beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 in the Basque derby on Saturday, finished third.