Barcelona’s title drought with coach Xavi — and with out Lionel Messi — is lastly over.
Barcelona beat Actual Madrid 3-1 on Sunday to win the Spanish Tremendous Cup at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and provides its followers causes to rejoice once more after a revamping course of that started following Messi’s departure for Paris Saint-Germain and the arrival of former participant Xavi as coach in 2021.
“We’ve been by way of some powerful years, with monetary difficulties, Messi’s departure,” Xavi stated. “It was not straightforward to convey again a optimistic dynamic. This can assist give us some tranquility. We have been working onerous from the start regardless of all of the criticism, and we’ve to maintain working.”
Barcelona had not lifted a trophy because the 2021 Copa del Rey beneath former coach Ronald Koeman. That was Messi’s thirty fifth and ultimate title with Barcelona earlier than leaving amid the membership’s monetary struggles.
Robert Lewandowski, Gavi and Pedri scored a purpose every within the ultimate at King Fahd Stadium to provide Barcelona its first Tremendous Cup trophy since 2018 — and its 14th total — and the primary because the match started being performed in a Closing 4 format in 2020 in a profitable deal for the Spanish soccer federation.
Gavi opened the scoring within the thirty third minute from shut vary after a cross by Lewandowski, who doubled the lead after an help by Gavi in a breakaway simply earlier than the top of the primary half. Gavi additionally arrange Pedri’s close-range purpose in one other breakaway within the 69th.
Karim Benzema scored for Madrid late in stoppage time.
“We knew we couldn’t miss this chance,” Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets stated. “We’ve been going by way of modifications on the membership and I believe this triumph will make us stronger and permit us to maintain competing, continue to grow and maintain combating for titles.
“It’s clear that at Barça you all the time should win,” Busquets stated. “We knew it was going to be like that after Xavi arrived, and now we lastly have been capable of do it.”
Madrid was making an attempt to win its second consecutive Tremendous Cup title in Saudi Arabia, and equal Barcelona’s report of 13 Tremendous Cup trophies.
“It’s a tricky loss and we’ve to study from it,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti stated. “We are going to enhance and bounce again from it.”
Madrid eradicated Barcelona in final season’s semifinals, however the Spanish powerhouses had by no means met within the ultimate of the revamped competitors.
Each groups wanted penalty shootouts to edge their opponents within the semifinals. Madrid beat Valencia and Barcelona defeated Actual Betis.
Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1 at dwelling within the first “clásico” of the season on the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium within the Spanish league in October. It trails Barcelona by three factors within the league this season.
The Tremendous Cup was once performed between the Spanish league champion and the Copa del Rey winner. Now the runners-up in each competitions additionally take part. Madrid performed because the league champion and Barcelona because the league runner-up. Betis gained the Copa title over Valencia final season.
The present contract to play the Tremendous Cup in Saudi Arabia runs by way of the 2024-25 season regardless of criticism over the nation’s human rights report.
ATLÉTICO HELD IN LEAGUE
Atlético Madrid was held to a 1-1 draw at Almería within the Spanish league, staying in fourth place and tied on factors with fifth-place Villarreal and sixth-place Actual Betis.
Ángel Correa put Atlético forward within the 18th however El Bilal Touré equalized for the hosts within the thirty seventh. Atlético defender Sergio Reguilón entered the match instead within the 67th however was despatched off with consecutive yellow playing cards within the 89th.
Atlético was coming off a 1-0 dwelling loss to chief Barcelona, which is 13 factors forward of Atlético.
Almería, winless in three straight league video games, stayed in thirteenth place.
Earlier Sunday, Espanyol moved farther from the relegation zone with a 2-1 win at Getafe, with Joselu scoring the opening purpose for the hosts with a shot from close to the midway line because the Getafe goalkeeper bought caught out of place.
Defending league champion Madrid is in second place and Actual Sociedad, which beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 within the Basque Nation derby on Saturday, is third.
This story has been revealed from a wire company feed with out modifications to the textual content. Solely the headline has been modified.