Today was all about showing how the team is the perfect activator of Messi's talent. Messi scored a hat-trick and he was set up with grace and beauty by his teammates. Alves gifted him incredibly on a break, and Xavi found Leo with a world-class pass to set his score. It was like some best-of football from the team of National side players.
Pedro started off the scoring about 15 minutes into the game with a stunning run and cross that was knocked in by Konko of Sevilla. After that, the superstar from Argentina who'd had a disappointing World Cup took over the scoring. But though the game was dominated by one man, the team play of the side was second to none. They found their sneaky passes and breaks upfield with a unity that defines their style.
Barça have come back from a loss last week in Seviila 3-1 in the first game of the two-game series. Ibra scored a goal, but then the team unraveled from the absence of their linchpins. Xavi, Pedro, Valdes, Pique and Puyol were all playing for Spain's national team in Mexico (which ended in a 1-1 tie at the Estadio Azteca), and the World Cup goal winner himself, Andrés Iniesta was still resting. The team looked shaky and the B-team substitutes didn't rise. It was played like a lost cause to be decided in the second game, played today in Barcelona with their full squad.
Lot's of football being played. Too many cups and trophies. The Super Cup is less than 20 years old and played between the two winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey. It was presumed that Barça would win the cup. When they play like they did today--so pretty and unstoppable--they lift it with class.
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