Barcelona beats Sevilla to lift Spanish Supercup
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Lionel Messi scored a hat trick as Barcelona won a record ninth Supercup by beating Sevilla 4-0 in the second leg for a 5-3 aggregate on Saturday.
After losing the first leg 3-1 in Seville, league champion Barcelona dominated from the start in its Camp Nou Stadium.
In the 14th minute, Pedro Rodriguez delivered a low cross that rebounded in off defender Abdoulay Konko.
In the 25th, Messi ran on to Xavi Hernandez's long through pass and put a first-time shot past goalkeeper Andres Palop. The Argentina striker scored his second and put his side ahead on aggregate in the 44th, shooting high into the net after being put through by Daniel Alves.
Messi ran on to Andres Iniesta's pass to complete his hat trick in the 90th.
"We've got another important trophy after overturning a very difficult (first-leg) result," Messi told state broadcaster TVE. "We know who we are and we are calm enough to keep growing as the season goes on."
Barcelona fielded an under-strength side in the first leg, with none of its eight players who helped Spain to World Cup victory available. However, on Saturday coach Pep Guardiola fielded a more familiar-looking side.
With doubts over the future of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and new signing David Villa starting on the bench, Bojan Krkic accompanied Messi and Pedro in attack.
Victor Valdes returned in goal and playmaker Hernandez was in central midfield, alongside Sergio Busquets and Seydou Keita.
Copa del Rey winner Sevilla, which went into the game following a 1-0 defeat to Braga in the Champions League, struggled in midfield and barely threatened in the first half as Spanish league champion Barcelona controlled possession.
In the sixth minute, Messi burst out of midfield with a trademark run and struck a fierce shot high.
In the 11th, Alves was ruled offside as he controlled the ball from a dangerous position on the right of the area.
Barcelona kept up the pressure as Maxwell's long-range shot nearly fooled Palop with a rebound off a defender.
Messi fed the charging Krkic in the 23rd, although the striker put his shot wide of the left post.
In the 57th, Villa came on for his first game for Barcelona since arriving from Valencia in the summer, replacing Pedro. Villa looked determined to score his first goal for the club and Palop had to parry a volleyed strike from the forward in the 77th.
World Cup hero Iniesta was also brought on and shot wide just seconds after replacing Krkic.
Sevilla responded by sending in Diego Perotti, Luis Fabiano and Luca Cigarini as coach Antonio Alvarez attempted to find some attacking spark. However, the Barcelona defense looked untroubled as the visitors rarely looked like scoring.
Barcelona's ninth Supercup trophy means it has one more than archrival Real Madrid. The win is also a boost for the Catalan side ahead of the league season, which begins next weekend.
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