Barcelona & Lionel Messi lift UEFA Super Cup

barcelona wins uefa super cup lionel messi soccer 2015

barcelona wins uefa super cup lionel messi soccer 2015Luis Enrique’s Barcelona have won one more piece of silverware following the treble they completed by the end of last season. It was a goal fest at Tbilisi as both the sides scored a total of nine goals.

It was a thrilling game which was stretched to the extra time and wasn’t settled until the 115th minute. Sevilla got the lead very early as Banega scored in the third minute of the match. Lionel Messi, once again reminded everyone that he undisputedly is the best player in the world. The diminutive Argentine scored two spectacular free kicks, seven minutes apart, to make the score line 2 – 1 in favour of Barca. Rafinha added one more before the stroke of half time.

Luis Suarez netted one more goal to make it 4 – 1 and it seemed game over for Sevilla. The Catalan giants were in total control of the game but Sevilla made a fantastic comeback. Jose Antonio Reyes scored in the 57th minute to make the score line 4 – 2. Gameiro and Konoplyanka pitched one each to draw the match 4 – 4 before the end of normal time.

Enrique brought on Pedro from the match, who decided the game with the winner in the second half of extra time. The enthralling match will definitely be a memorable one for many fans. Once again the Champions League winners get the upper hand over the Europa League winners in the Super Cup.

The Barcelona boss, Luis Enrique, was elated with yet another silverware. In the post match interview, he said: “It’s hard to win any trophy and this match showed that.

“The game was really difficult for us at the beginning – we started off falling behind but came back against difficult opponents. It was really tough. We’re really happy about the trophy, for ourselves, the players and supporters. Sevilla reacted really well. We now have to think about the Spanish Super Cup [against Athletic Club on Friday and Monday].

“Clearly when you’re winning 4-1 your opponents have nothing to lose. What we need to do, though, is analyse what happened after that and how they got back into the match, through a penalty and some attacks down the flanks. It happens. We were winning 2-0 at Sevilla [in the Liga last term] and they came back. People think Barça win automatically but that’s not the case. We should be proud of these players.”

When asked why Pedro didn’t start despite the unavailability of Neymar for the match, he said,“Pedro has some problems with his adductor muscle and you know about his current status so I picked the man I thought would be best in the circumstances [Rafinha] and I would do the same again. I understand why you’re interested [in Pedro’s situtation] but I’m not going to say any more about it.”

Pedro, on the other hand, wasn’t happy with the manager’s decision to bench him despite the unavailability of Neymar. Although the Spanish winger claimed that he doesn’t want to leave Barcelona, despite interest from the English giants Manchester United.

Pedro said, “I am not completely happy in the situation. Robert Fernandez said something he doesn’t know. I spoke with the captains, the president, the coach… just a few seconds with him. I don’t understand why he said I asked to leave using these words, he doesn’t know how I feel in this team.

He added: “I will always be a Barcelona supporter, no matter what finally happens. When there are rumours that I can leave it is not an easy situation for me. I have always tried to give my best to the club. I am ambitious and I want to play as much as possible.

“I was angry when I knew I had to stay on the bench, having had a chance with Neymar’s illness.

“I don’t want to leave Barcelona but it is a complicated situation. It is not a money question, but a continuity question. I want to play. Luis Enrique preferred other players and I have been waiting a lot of time.”