BarcelonaBarça’s indisputable victory against Madrid, marred only by a goal from Karim Benzema in the last minute of added time, in the final of the Spanish Super Cup (1-3). Xavi Hernández wins his first title as coach after a great performance by his players. Next, some hot notes.
It couldn’t be otherwise. If Barça wanted to end the bestial reliability of Madrid and Ancelotti in the finals, they had to do it through the big door. And even more so with a Taliban in the style of Xavi on the bench. First title for Egarenc as Barcelona coach. And what a way to win it. With complete superiority in the game, a score shorter than it would have been due to the usual appearances of Courtois and, most importantly, the feeling that the players finally understood what their manager was telling them. It all resulted in a delicious bath. Or, as the famous former Madrid president Vicente Boluda said, in one dripping of enormous dimensions.
It’s football history. Busquets will end this season as the player with the most classics played. With this Sunday’s he equals Messi and Ramos (45) and, if nothing strange happens, the rest of the League will place him alone at the top of the ranking. Substitute in the semi-final against Betis, the pivot from Badia del Vallès started against Madrid and, well protected by De Jong, was a key piece in the two goals that defeated the whites before the break. He did not score or assist in either goal, but without his participation in the origins of both plays the ball would not have ended up in the net. His mental speed is a treasure. That’s why Xavi tries to convince him to postpone his American dream.
Rivalry guaranteed. If Busquets embodies an essential part of the Barça-Madrid rivalry of the last three decades, the classic from Saudi Arabia ventures into an exciting relief in the coming years. In this sense, the weight of the exhibitions of Gavi and Pedri, two Barbamecans who guarantee a bright future, is enormous. What a bar the very young (18 years old) Andalusian has, author of a goal and two assists against a European champion! And what an excellent mastery of the football language the Canary spends, who capped off a great night with 0-3. But there is more. How many sparks will the Araujo-Vinícius dance couple fly? At the level of the Figo – Roberto Carlos of other times, for sure. This is how football will hook generations to come.
So what was the good? Two Chelsea defenders were freed from contract last summer and it was up to the two giants of state football. From Madrid, although also in Barcelona, it was said that the one who would play in white was better than the one chosen by the Culer sports management. Indeed, Rüdiger was presented at the Bernabéu and Christensen posed smiling next to Laporta. Months later, the Riad classic teaches us that predictions don’t always come true. The Madrid defender, who started due to the absence of the starter (Alaba), appeared in the photo of the three goals. Meanwhile, the silent and sober Dane is the most complete center back in Xavi’s team right now.