Supercopa Madrid: chronicle, result and goals

How long has this journey through the desert that started with Ronald Koeman still on the bench after winning a Cup against Athletic in Seville in April 2021, in an empty stadium, without fans, due to the pandemic. Not even two years have passed, but it seems like two decades, with the things that can happen at Barça in a few months. In Riyadh, the stadium was full, but in a charmless atmosphere, since the Saudis were able to buy the tournament with a pile of money, an operation investigated by the Anti-Fraud Prosecutor’s Office. Everything has a price, in this life. Also the final of a Super Cup that arrived with both teams with doubts, after suffering bravely in the semi-finals. Madrid continued to drown in doubts. Barça outlawed them. A year ago, Xavi’s team celebrated having faced the whites. It was strange to see Barça celebrating a defeat. Now triumphs are celebrated, on the same stage, against the same rival. Are times changing?

Xavi’s team, as if it were a young man with a desire to conquer the world, had been playing a few games starting with a high tempo and dominance of the game. With fireworks. Then the team would lose control and end up suffering bravely, too unstable. Madrid, on the other hand, is like that veteran who has already seen them in all colors and is taking it easy, knowing that there is plenty of time to plug in. When Barça got possession of the ball just before the start of the match, the whites seemed very calm. But for once they got hurt. You can’t always play with fire. Not even cats have a thousand lives; everyone ends up on their knees at some point. In the first half, Barça played the violin, with high school football. In the second, he defended firmly, mortifying the whites on the counter.

Gavi’s show

Xavi opted for midfielders, as if it were a statement of intent. Instead of choosing between Busquets and De Jong, he made them both play. Instead of sacrificing Pedri or Gavi, he removed a winger from the team. A winning move, since it would be Gavi who would occupy the left wing in the offensive phase, leaving the right to a Dembélé who didn’t quite have his day. Gavi’s game was huge, to the point where it looked like he had a few twin brothers and they were all playing at the same time. A Gavi dropped in defense to help defend on the left side, another Gavi was in the middle of the field eclipsing Modric, and a last one was a stiletto, entering the second line to dizzy a Madrid turned into a broken toy. The first half was always played in one direction and only Courtois, who is a bit of a goalkeeper, prevented the white injury from getting even bigger. Pedri, under the frustrated gaze of Modric and Kroos, became the master and lord of the midfield. Madrid looked too veteran, too old. The face of Barça, on the other hand, were Pedri and Gavi. blessed youth

After playing with the nerves of their parish, Barça chose the final to regain greatness and stability. No doubts, no fears. De Jong understood the game on the side, growing, firm. In defense, Araujo played on the side to link Vini Junior in short. And Balde helped to generate superiority with his increasingly intelligent attacks. Xavi’s team, like other times, just lacked a bit of effectiveness. The goals, in fact, came by taking advantage of gifts from a Madrid that looked like a caricature. The high pressure of a Barça full of ambition allowed Busquets to pinch Camavinga’s wallet in the move for the first goal. The Badia player has already understood that until he decides to leave Barça, he will live surrounded by debates about his game. His best years have passed, but he still understands the game better than most and knew where to press to steal the ball from a youngster with far more legs than him. Lewandowski, generous, sent the ball on the first touch to Gavi, who beat Courtois. Before the break, the young Andalusian proved to be polite and respectful. If they give you a gift, you have to return it. Gavi took advantage of another loss of the white ball to run out and offer Lewandowski the second Barcelona goal.

Madrid had to react. He timidly did so, but his attacks were like firing a fairground shotgun. Ter Stegen, the hero of the semi-finals, had very little work to do. Christensen and Kounde raised a toll inside the area and did not raise the barrier to Benzema, a shadow. It was only a matter of time before the third Blaugrana goal arrived. And since Dembélé couldn’t get away, it had to be Gavi, again, who would finish the job. First, touching the ball. Then, attacking the wing and, finally, making the cross for Pedri’s goal. The final was already decided and all that was left was to let the minutes go by to give way to a much-needed party. Benzema, in the last second, tried to make up the result with a goal that did not even tickle a triumphant Barça.

After so many activated levers, signings and efforts, a title was needed. The management, Xavi and the players needed him. The fans needed him, used to winning titles so easily not so long ago but caught in a cursed spell from which it seemed impossible to get out. A spell broken based on good play, goals and football. Xavi won the duel against Ancelotti and his friend Sergio Busquets was able to lift the first cup as captain, an award for a career. But the future belongs to Pedri and Gavi, two mischievous youngsters, who imposed their law to remind Barcelona fans that the future can be even better. They are the future of Xavi’s Barça. With endings like this, flying pigeons is not a sin.