Barcelona claimed their 13th Spanish Super Cup in style with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Sevilla on Wednesday night in the second leg at the Camp Nou, giving the Catalonians a whopping 5-0 win on aggregate.
Arda Turn scored a brace with goals in the ninth and the 46th minutes and Lionel Messi added a goal in the 55th minute in what was a relatively stress-free night for the reigning La Liga and Copa del Rey champions.
Sevilla showed some spunk at the start, but it wasn’t long before Barcelona took control and proceeded to control the affair even without Luis Suárez and Olympic finalist Neymar in the starting XI. With their league opener around the corner on Saturday against Betis, Barcelona already look like they are in midseason form.
A bucket of cold water was thrown on the Andalusians’ early ambitions when new arrival André Gomes slipped a pass to Messi who neatly fed Arda Turan and the Turkey international finished with a left-footer to give Barcelona the early 1-0 lead in the match and 3-0 on aggregate.
But Sevilla were given a lifeline at the half-hour mark when an Angel Correa shot struck the arm of new defender Samuel Umtiti and the referee only delayed a second before pointing to the spot. Yet the chance was spoiled as Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo sprung to his right to block Vicente Iborra’s spot kick.
Seconds before the half-time opportunity knocked again for the visitors, but Gabriel Mercado’s header scraped the top of the crossbar and out of play.
Any designs that Sevilla had on a miracle comeback came to a halt just after the start of the second half, as Sevilla carelessly gave up possession deep in their own half and Turan was more than happy to take advantage, curling in a shot past Rico to double the lead 2-0 and make it 4-0 on aggregate.
By that stage, the pressure was off the home side and they could delight in their football. It would not have been a Barcelona rout without a Messi goal, and the inevitable score came when Lucas Digne looped in a cross from the left and the diminutive Messi out leaped a Sevilla defender to head back across goal and into net for a 3-0 lead.
Sevilla were keen to get a consolation goal in the final 30 minutes, but in the end there was no way through the Barcelona defense, who kept Jorge Sampaoli’s side at bay until the final whistle.
