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Barca seal Supercopa de Espana

An Arda Turan brace and a goal from Lionel Messi sealed the Supercopa de Espana for Barcelona against Sevilla.

La Blaugrana were 2-0 up from the first leg and it was quickly three when Turan capped a slick exchange between Andre Gomes and Messi, Sevilla having spurned early chances to get back in the tie.

Turan claimed his second shortly after the re-start and Messi wrapped up the trophy with a goal reminiscent of the one he scored against Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League Final.

Claudio Bravo was in goal for what had been billed as his last Barca game, with a move to Manchester City in the offing, and stopped Vicente Iborra’s penalty after half-an-hour.

Barca made six changes and Sevilla seven, introducing the likes of Samuel Umtiti, who was adjudged to have handled to lead to Iborra’s saved spot kick, Gomes, Paulo Henrique Ganso and Wissam Ben Yedder respectively.

Ben Yedder had the first chance of the game, drawing a save from a full-stretch Claudio Bravo before Sevilla set-pieces caused problems for a Barca defence including three new faces from the first leg.

But any Barca nerves were settled when Arda beat Rico following good work by Messi and Gomes, though Messi could have doubled the advantage on the night when he met a delicate lay-off with a powerful volley but drilled wide.

Iborra could have gotten Sevilla back into the game from 12 yards but Bravo made the save and despite some promising positions for the visitors, the half ended with Barca in control of the match and the tie, Gabriel Mercado hitting the bar with a header with the last touch of the 45.

Arda’s second came after a handful of touches of the second 45, lobbing Rico after Barca turned the ball over in the Sevilla half, but lobbing goalkeeper and crossbar shortly after when Messi sent him clear.

Messi made no mistake with a header from a deep Lucas Digne cross, Sevilla giving the left-back too long to deliver, not displaying the intensity expected from a Jorge Sampaoli side.

The only negative came with the last 10 minutes in sight as Javier Mascherano left the game early through injury, Barca ending with 10 men having used all their substitutes.

Barcelona 3-0 Sevilla [5-0 on aggregate]

Arda 10, 47, Messi 56

Barcelona: Bravo; Vidal, Mascherano, Umtiti, Digne (Alba 61); Busquets (Samper 73), Gomes, Denis (Rakitic 73); Messi, Munir, Arda

Sevilla: Rico; Mariano, Kranevitter, Mercado, Diego; Correa (Vietto 73), Ganso (Vazquez 57); Iborra, Sarabia, Konoplyanka; Ben Yedder (Vitolo 63)

Referee: Alejandro Jose Hernandez

Tags Arda Turan Lionel Messi Supercopa de Espana
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