There will be a classic again on Sunday in the Super Cup final. Barça bought their ticket and will defend their title against Madrid in Riyadh after fairly defeating Osasuna. He had his troubles, as usual, but he was superior and reflected it with goals from Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal. In the process, they achieved their first win by more than one goal since September and kept a clean sheet. They are only statistical data but they should reinforce the faith of a team in need of oxygen and tranquility. Of course, with a stellar Gündogan and the reappearance of the magical Pedri, the light appears in the Blaugrana locker room.
Barça, without being a luminary, already came out determined to take control of the match. Xavi had asked his players to let go and release tension. No sooner said than done. With a well-defined game plan, the Barcelona team tried to apply itself in an orderly and Cartesian manner, with patience and good occupation of the spaces. Gündogan intervened a lot and well, Ferran Torres moved judiciously from the left to the center, Raphinha put intensity and Barcelona monopolized the ball. Thus, it generated the first chances. Christensen ran into goalkeeper Sergio Herrera and, with the goalkeeper out of position, Ferran Torres sent a poisoned shot wide.
Of course, when Osasuna moved from the center of the field it was quickly seen that Barça was still a flan without the ball, despite aligning the defensive line that made them League champions last season. Koundé had to go to put out the fire and take the goal off the tip of Budimir’s boot while Balde deflected a shot from Areso that had the word danger on it.
With how little they give chances to a well-intentioned but hesitant Barcelona when they approach them. The Blaugrana team would gain a lot of confidence if they knew how to materialize their opportunities sooner. To do this they would have to have more decisive forwards. Once again the sin of every day flew over Al Awwal Park. Because Gündogan, clairvoyant, gave Lewandowski a piece of candy. That play, with his good leg, has been made by the Pole all his life but he crashed the shot into the goalkeeper’s body. Then it would be compensated. Sergio Herrera took a free kick from Gündogan shortly afterwards and Lewandowski himself sent a free header wide.
Barça did almost everything well with the ball but there was no way to open the scoring. It is not surprising that the local fans remembered Messi and chanted his name because with the Argentine as a Barcelona player the goals would surely have rained down from very early on.
The match was not as vibrant as the Madrid derby but it was not boring either. Barça carried the weight and Osasuna threatened whoever was on the opposite field. Like when Budimir broke Araújo and stood up to Iñaki Peña. The Barcelona goalkeeper saved the 0-1 with a notable intervention. Then Arnaiz tried him with a long free kick and he also responded well.
Barça had wasted chances and also saw Raphinha injured his hamstrings. João Félix could have then entered, again sacrificed by Xavi, but the coach opted for Lamine Yamal, who activated with determination and intelligence. Meanwhile, Pedri was waiting for his moment on the bench, already medically discharged.
The truth is that the Blaugrana deserved to be ahead at half-time but everything was yet to be decided as the result was left hanging in the balance.
As the minutes passed, the risk was that Barça would get worse as they saw that they couldn’t find the key to the goal and that they would fall into haste. Solutions had to be found and Xavi was already about to put Pedri, cheered by the stands, and João Félix into the fray. But just before the two came in, Lewandowski finally got it right. Christensen recovered a ball, Gündogan combined with the Pole again and the forward this time sent it into the net after a pure striker’s movement.
Lewandowski, who until that moment had despaired everyone, was breathing, and Barcelona was breathing, in favor of the work. “Visca el Barça,” part of the audience sang.
The goal reinforced Barça, who played and played intelligently with Pedri and Gündogan until they found the spaces. João Félix, with a better attitude than other days, bordered on second but was prevented by a great hand from Herrera. Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal generated a lot of football on his side. Osasuna barely threatened but Iñaki Peña had to safely abort an attempt by Budimir. Barça had not closed the match and was always exposed to a fatal action. Like Raúl García’s volley over the top. All the scares ended when in added time Lamine Yamal resolved after a phenomenal play by João Félix. The victory already had an owner and the final was served,