Barcelona vs Sevilla. Spanish Super Cup Semi-finals.
Camp NouAttendance71,803.
Thursday 18 August 2016 11:43, UK
Barcelona picked up the first Spanish silverware of the season as they beat Sevilla 3-0 at the Nou Camp to seal a 5-0 aggregate Super Cup success, in a match which saw Claudio Bravo save a penalty.
The league holders were at their fluent best going forward, and took a deserved lead after ten minutes through Arda Turan, but they had reported Manchester City target Bravo to thank for keeping them in the contest, as the Barca stopper saved Vicente Iborra's 33rd minute spot-kick.
After the break, the Blaugrana cemented their dominance with two further strikes - one a delightful Arda curler two minutes after half-time and the other a Messi header eight minutes later - sealing a comfortable success.
Luis Enrique has now won every trophy possible as Barcelona manager as his side sent a clear message to their title rivals ahead of the new La Liga season.
Enrique chose to rest Luis Suarez but still named a strong line-up, with Andre Gomes and Samuel Umtiti handed their debuts.
However, it was one of four Sevilla debutants who had the first effort at goal, with Wissam Ben Yedder seeing his drilled effort at goal tipped round the post by Bravo, who could have made his last appearance for the Catalan giants, if reports of an imminent City transfer are to be believed.
Despite the visitors being very much on top, it was Barca who took the lead. Gomes was at the heart of it, reversing a pass into the path of Messi, who slide the ball through for Arda to finish into the bottom corner.
Messi had a perfect opportunity to get on the score sheet himself six minutes later, but his finishing let him down at the vital moment, as his half volley flashed wide.
Then, it appeared we had a contest as Umtiti was adjudged to have handled in the area, but Iborra stepped up and saw his poor penalty well saved by Bravo down to his right.
Right on the stroke of half-time, Gabriel Mercado saw his header come out off the bar after he had stooped to connect well with a cross, and two minutes after the break that miss proved crucial as Arda doubled his side's advantage.
Rico was a fair way off his line, but Arda still had to execute his strike at goal perfectly, with the slightest of deflections giving his curler that extra loop to find the net.
Eight minutes later and it was three. Not renowned for his aerial prowess, Messi met Denis Suarez's cross perfectly, and guided a header into the net that seemed to go in slow motion.
Substitute Ivan Rakitic was denied by an athletic Rico stop with 13 minutes left, but the rest of the match was a mere procession as Barca strolled to yet more honours.
