Barca still believe despite four-goal deficit
Barcelona need to produce a monumental fightback on Monday
to add the Spanish Super Cup to the four trophies they have
already won in 2015 as they trail Athletic Bilbao 4-0 heading into
the second leg.
An under-strength Barca side was blown away by the Basques
on Friday as they exacted revenge for defeat in May’s Copa del
Rey final at the Camp Nou thanks to Aritz Aduriz’s hat-trick and
a spectacular opener from just inside the Barca half by Mikel
San Jose.
It was the first time Barca had lost by four goals against
Spanish opposition for eight years and the first time in 14 years
they had conceded four times in two consecutive matches.
File: Barca
The European champions had beaten Sevilla 5-4 after extra time
in energy-sapping conditions in the Georgian capital Tbilisi to
win the UEFA Super Cup just three days prior to their trip to
Bilbao.
And there is belief among the Barca squad that, with more time
to prepare and back close to full strength at home, a remarkable
turnaround is still possible.
“If there is anyone who can turn this around it is Barca,” said
coach Luis Enrique, whose decision to rest Gerard Pique, Sergio
Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta from the start has
been questioned.
“90 minutes at the Camp Nou. I believe,” Pique posted on his
official Twitter account on Saturday.
Barca believe history could also be on their side. A Lionel Messi
hat-trick sparked a 4-0 win over Sevilla in the 2010 Super Cup
after a similarly weakened side had lost the first leg 3-1.
Neymar and Jordi Alba are still missing through illness and
injury respectively, but Luis Enrique could recall goalkeeper
Claudio Bravo for his first appearance of the season in place of
Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Athletic’s first-leg performance was all the more impressive as
they are also missing four first-team regulars through injury.
Inaki Williams, Ander Iturraspe, Mikel Rico and Iker Muniain are
all expected to miss out once more and Aduriz remains
cautious.
“We cannot think that Barca in their stadium can’t score four
goals. They are the best and capable of doing anything.”
Victory would end a 31-year barren run without a trophy for
Athletic and would be particularly sweet after they lost the Copa
del Rey final to Barca in three of the past seven years as well as
the Super Cup in 2009.
“If we lift the Cup it will be the best night of my career,” added
Aduriz.
to add the Spanish Super Cup to the four trophies they have
already won in 2015 as they trail Athletic Bilbao 4-0 heading into
the second leg.
An under-strength Barca side was blown away by the Basques
on Friday as they exacted revenge for defeat in May’s Copa del
Rey final at the Camp Nou thanks to Aritz Aduriz’s hat-trick and
a spectacular opener from just inside the Barca half by Mikel
San Jose.
It was the first time Barca had lost by four goals against
Spanish opposition for eight years and the first time in 14 years
they had conceded four times in two consecutive matches.
File: Barca
The European champions had beaten Sevilla 5-4 after extra time
in energy-sapping conditions in the Georgian capital Tbilisi to
win the UEFA Super Cup just three days prior to their trip to
Bilbao.
And there is belief among the Barca squad that, with more time
to prepare and back close to full strength at home, a remarkable
turnaround is still possible.
“If there is anyone who can turn this around it is Barca,” said
coach Luis Enrique, whose decision to rest Gerard Pique, Sergio
Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta from the start has
been questioned.
“90 minutes at the Camp Nou. I believe,” Pique posted on his
official Twitter account on Saturday.
Barca believe history could also be on their side. A Lionel Messi
hat-trick sparked a 4-0 win over Sevilla in the 2010 Super Cup
after a similarly weakened side had lost the first leg 3-1.
Neymar and Jordi Alba are still missing through illness and
injury respectively, but Luis Enrique could recall goalkeeper
Claudio Bravo for his first appearance of the season in place of
Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Athletic’s first-leg performance was all the more impressive as
they are also missing four first-team regulars through injury.
Inaki Williams, Ander Iturraspe, Mikel Rico and Iker Muniain are
all expected to miss out once more and Aduriz remains
cautious.
“We cannot think that Barca in their stadium can’t score four
goals. They are the best and capable of doing anything.”
Victory would end a 31-year barren run without a trophy for
Athletic and would be particularly sweet after they lost the Copa
del Rey final to Barca in three of the past seven years as well as
the Super Cup in 2009.
“If we lift the Cup it will be the best night of my career,” added
Aduriz.
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