Barça serves another Clásico for the Super Cup
Xavi’s men beat Osasuna without shining with goals from Lewandowski and Yamal in the second half
MADRID, 11 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona beat CA Osasuna (2-0) this Thursday in the second semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup that is being played at the Al-Awaal Park Stadium, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), a victory without fanfare and with goals from Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal in the second half to meet Real Madrid on Sunday.
Xavi Hernández’s men will seek to defend the title won last year at the King Fahd also in Riyadh and against the whites, after a first step under the law of minimum effort. This is how the Barça season goes, saving the cut but without standing out as expected, unable to make a difference against an Osasuna that fought it.
Xavi’s team got the thick version as the start of their title defense, a first half in which they did not have the pace that Osasuna’s good disposition required. At half-time, Arrasate was certainly happier with his team, having barely suffered any chances from Barça and having been able to find his moments in attack.
In fact, the clearest goal option was ‘red’, from Budimir who, after a good pass, was left alone in front of Iñaki Peña but the Barça goalkeeper was attentive to come out and cover the spaces. Xavi’s men came from a set piece, with Christensen and Lewandowski, and in the first stages with errors in Osasuna’s start.
Sergio Herrera gave a couple of gifts that Barça did not take advantage of, with Ferran without aim, but Arrasate’s team grew in their idea of ????the game without giving up the attack. Barça’s possession was far from the rival goal and they also regretted the injury to Raphinha, who was replaced in the 42nd minute by Lamine Yamal. The young winger changed the face of the Catalans, although they had no other choice.
The League champion gave more speed and intention to his passes after the restart and soon pushed his rival back several meters. Barça took a step forward and also did so in the pressure, as Christensen did in the 1-0 play. Those from Arrasate claimed a foul on Arnaiz, but the culé defender recovered the ball that Gündogan directed with a perfect pass to Lewandowski.
The Polish striker did not forgive and encouraged a semi-final very distant in emotion from the 5-3 between Real Madrid and Atlético the day before. Xavi’s team did not know how to sleep the game with that possession that he had played in and at the worst moment they lost control. All in all, the return of Pedri gave results, also a Frenkie de Jong who raised the level, and Joao Félix occupied Osasuna in defensive tasks, with a great save from Sergio Herrera.
However, Budimir also appeared at Peña’s goal and, with the minimum income once again, Barça had to suffer with ball losses. Raúl García tried from the front and the Barça team ended up defending themselves without the ball and in their own field for the last few minutes, although they killed the counterattack with a great action by Joao Félix and the goal in the 93rd minute by Yamal.
Those from Arrasate competed again, as in the Cup final last year, but Xavi’s men got the ticket to a new Super Cup final, with the aim of raising the expectations of the season if they were able to win with stripes against the eternal rival.
–RESULT: FC BARCELONA, 2 – CA OSASUNA, 0. (0-0, at halftime).
FC BARCELONA: Iñaki Peña; Kound, Araujo, Christensen, Balde; De Jong, Sergi Roberto (Pedri, min.61), Gündogan; Raphinha (Lamine Yamal, 42nd minute), Lewandowski and Ferran Torres (Joao Felix, 62nd minute).
CA OSASUNA: Sergio Herrera; Areso, Catena, David García, Juan Cruz (Kike Barja, min.85); Iker Muñoz (Moncayola, min.69), Rubén Peña (Mojica, min.78), Arnaiz (Raúl García, min.69), Aimar Oroz, Moi Gómez (Rubén García, min.85) and Budimir.
1 – 0, min.59, Lewandowski.
2 – 0, min.93, Laminated Yamal.
–REFEREE: Muñiz Ruiz (C. Gallego). He cautioned Catena (min.32), Iker Muñoz (min.39) and Arnaiz (min.56) in Osasuna.
–STADIUM: Al-Awaal Park Stadium, Riyadh.
