super cup

The champions of the Liga – FC Barcelona – and the Spanish Cup – Atlético Madrid – come into the Super Cup first leg after defeating Levante (7-0) and Sevilla (1-3), respectively. The match in Madrid is chock full of interesting titbits, like David Villa’s reunion with his former team-mates. In addition, it is the first official game away from the Camp Nou for Barça’s new manager Tata Martino and the new star Neymar Jr. The Brazilian player could feature in the starting XI for the first time on Wednesday evening (11pm CET).

FC Barcelona will contribute 30,000 euros to subsidise part of the cost of extending the metro’s operational hours in order to guarantee public transport to and from the Camp Nou for the Spanish Super Cup featuring Barça and Atlético Madrid. The football match will start at 11pm on Wednesday 28th August and will not finish until 1am. Barcelona’s underground transportation ends at midnight on weeknights and the Mayor had requested the Spanish Football federation (RFFE) to reschedule the match to an earlier time. However the RFFE refused and Barcelona’s Mayor, Xavier Trias, warned that they would not prolong the metro’s operational hours, with each extra hour costing around 30,000 euros.

After taking it for the last three years, Barça lost their Spanish Super Cup title on Wednesday night, going down narrowly in Madrid and losing the tie on the away goals rule. Higuaín and Cristiano Ronaldo put Real Madrid ahead early on and Barça played with 10 men for more than an hour after Adriano was sent off. Messi brought Barça back into the tie with a superb free kick just before the break. Pedro, Alba, Montoya and Messi all came close to getting the goal that would have meant Barça retained their title.

Barça will face off against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening (22.30 CET) as the Catalans look to claim their first title under Tito Vilanova. FC Barcelona come into the match against Real Madrid with a 3-2 advantage from the away leg of the Spanish Super Cup. Any result from the last Real Madrid v. Barça matches at the Bernabéu (five victories and two draws) would be enough for FC Barcelona to claim the title. Tito Vilanova may have to rule out Carles Puyol, who sustained a cheekbone fracture in this weekend’s game against Osasuna, even though the captain travelled with the team to Madrid.

The player's recovery will mark his availability for the return leg of the Spanish Supercup against Real Madrid to be played on Wednesday. Puyol fractured his cheekbone in a collision with Lamah with 15 minutes still on the clock in the match against Osasuna (1-2). The Barça captain played the entire 90 minutes of the game.

Two second half goals from Messi turned around an early strike by Osasuna’s Joseba Llorente to give Barça the points in Pamplona. Real Madrid was defeated by Getafe. Real Madrid and FC Barcelona will play the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup Final next Wednesday.

FC Barcelona, led by an outstanding Iniesta, came back from 1-0 behind to take a one-goal lead into the second leg of the Spanish Supercup. Misfortune struck in the 84th minute, when one chance was squandered and shortly after Real Madrid scored a second goal that leaves plenty left to decide in the return leg.

Barça and Real Madrid go head to head this Thursday evening (10.30 pm CET) in the Camp Nou for the first trophy of the season. The third match in five days in the Camp Nou could feature Alex Song’s FC Barcelona debut.

Barça players face a hectic opening of the season, with five games in the first fifteen days - three league matches and the two Spanish Super Cup games against Real Madrid. In addition, next Monday’s Joan Gamper Estrella Damm Trophy pits them against Sampdoria.

FC Barcelona celebrated their 157th goal so far this season on Tuesday, which leaves Barça just one goal short of the record for a season under Guardiola, in the 2008/09 campaign. Messi, with 58 goals is the leading scorer, averaging 1.18 goals a game.

With his three goals against Granada, Leo Messi surpasses César’s record and became the all-time top goalscorer in the history of FC Barcelona in official matches with 234 goals.

FC Barcelona and Benfica are the only two leading clubs in Europe who remain unbeaten since the start of the season. Guardiola’s team has indeed remained unbeaten since 30th April, when they went down in the Spanish League against Real Sociedad.

FC Barcelona lifted the European Super Cup for the fourth time in their history with a 2-0 win over Porto in Monaco. Goals in each half from Messi and Cesc proved enough for Guardiola’s team to take their 12th title under his stewardship.

FC Barcelona and Porto meet this evening (20.45h CET) in a very special European Super Cup. It’s the last to be played at the Louis II in Monaco. Piqué, Puyol and Afellay are all out through injury.

Barça player Gerard Piqué got injured in training and will be out for three weeks. Piqué tore fibres in his left calf muscle and will not play the European Super Cup match in Monaco against Porto next Friday evening.