5 Things We Learned From The UEFA Supercup

Fans of Sevilla and Barcelona the world over must have expected a straight victory for the Catalans who just 15 weeks prior had just claimed a second treble in five years but they must have been shocked to see a 5-4 scoreline.

Though both teams have great attacks in Neymar, Messi, Suarez for Barca and Vitolo, Reyes, Banega, Gamiero for Sevilla the neutrals would never expect to see Sevilla come back from 4-1 down to draw the match 4-4 at full time.

Barcelona celebrate Super Cup glory

After such a high scoring match, fans of the two teams must be wondering what the season holds. Here are five things that the Supercup thought everyone.
1. Lionel Messi is still potent to single-handedly destroy a team: Messi was unable to lead Argentina to Copa America glory in Chile at the final hurdle just like twelve months before when he couldn’t his country to World Cup glory in Brazil.
To the neutrals, Messi would be shattered by the double disappointments but from the evidence of the Super cup, Messi is more then mentally stable to lead teams to glory.

Some would point to the emergence of Neymar and the addition of Luis Suarez to the Barcelona roster to say Messi might not be important for his club like in times past. But he showed last season that he is still a class above other players in the world bar Cristiano Ronaldo. And once again he showed in the Super cup final with two excellent free-kicks that he is is Barcelona’s most important player and he is still dangerous enough to destroy teams at will.
2. Barcelona defence still porous to concede 4 goals in a match: Last summer Barcelona spent lost to $50m on new defenders; Douglas, Vermalen, Mathieu to shore up a defense that lost its talisman Carles Puyol. The trick seemed to work as Mathieu especially looking a good fit as the team has conceded zero goal up until the 9th match of the season.

Reyes celebrates his goal

But on this evidence, Barcelona need to do more than signing just signing Alex Vidal (actually a right-back) from Sevilla who they defeated to win the Supercup.
The transfer market is not generous with the availability of centre-backs but Luis Enrique and the transfer team at the Catalan club need to make a centre back like Sergio Ramos available or make sure midfielder turned defender, Javier Mascherano, Mathieu, Bartra (at fault for the fourth goal) and Pique (clumsy on the night) click into gear to make their defense as fearsome as the attack.


3. Barcelona still have the hunger to win trophies despite the treble they won last year: Many would think Barcelona and especially, Messi, Pedro, Iniesta, Pique would have lost their hunger to win after securing a second treble in four years but on the evidence, the team is not yet done.

Barcelona showed incredible hunger to come back from a goal down to go up 4-1, while almost maintaining their composure even after Sevilla made it 4-4 going into extra-time.

Lionel Messi Celebrates with Luis Suarez

The team worked in tandem to ensure that the winner would come courtesy of Manchester United bound Pedro Rodriguez. The team and especially Lionel Messi ensured the pressure was kept despite the numerous efforts that fell Sevilla’s way.
The club directors and players have continually said they want to win all six trophies in 2015 just like they did in 2009. It remains to be seen if the club can add the Supercoppa Espana and Club World Cup to Copa Del Rey, Spanish La Liga, UEFA Supercup and UEFA Champions League already won.
4. Pedro will be missed if he leaves Barca: Barcelona’s technical secretary Robert Fernandez has confirmed that Pedro asked to leave the club: “Pedro asked us for the transfer. We are not going to accept less than €30 million [his buyout clause] for him, it’s not negotiable.”

Pedro scores his winning goal

The embodiment of what La Masia represents, Pedro came through the youth team, played for the first team and became the first player in history to score in six consecutive tournaments in 2009. A hero was born, a cult hero, a club legend in the making.
Though he might not be as individually talented as Neymar or Suarez, his first team pedigree can never be in doubt. Just like he helped Barcelona to six trophies in 2009, he led them to another title in 2015. The winger now has 99 goals for his boyhood team in almost 350 appearances. Barcelona may never find a winger like Pedro that understands the club this much.

5. Sevilla could be the new Atletico Madrid: Two UEFA Europa league in two seasons is no mean feat. Sevilla actually did the double in 2006 and 2007 and have repeated the trick in 2014 amd 2015 and the decison to allow them btry into the group stage of the Champions league seems a smart move.

Konoplyanka celebrates his goal

Sevilla have one of the best teams in Europe bar the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, PSG, Juventus. They can go toe to toe with other teams and if in full gear it would be difficult to stop the likes of Banega, Vitolo, Reyes, Gamiero. The team can go on a fairytale journey like Atletico Madrid did in between 2012 and 2014.

The loss of Carlos Bacca, Stephen Mbia and Alex Vidal was compensated with the signings of Konoplyanka, Ciro Immobile and Stephen Nzonzi. If they continue with their tried and tested 4-2-3-1 formation and attacking play, they can rock the instituions of Barcelona and Real Madrid just as Dortumd did to Bayern Munich between 2011 and 2013.