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Athletic Bilbao won their first title in 31 years as a 1-1 draw at the Nou Camp ensured that Barcelona failed to overturn a 4-goal deficit from the first-leg. Following the annihilation at the San Mames, Barcelona were eager to make amends and although Messi’s strike put the Catalans ahead, first-leg hat-trick hero Aduriz struck late on to secure the Supercopa 5-1 on aggregate for the Basque-club.
Although Bilbao managed to keep Barcelona at bay during the opening stages but after waves of unrelenting pressure, the Bilbao back-four finally cracked a few minutes from the half-time whistle, when Messi skillfully chested down Luis Suarez’s lay-off and knocked it past the goalkeeper to reduce the deficit to 3 goals.
Just when Barcelona were getting into their groove, Gerard Pique was shown a straight red 10 minutes into the second half, after he heatedly protested a decision right in the assistant referee’s face. Pedro and Ivan Rakitic came close to doubling their side’s lead almost immediately but the visitors held on.
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As the hosts piled on the pressure, they left a gaping hole at the back and Aduriz had only Claudio Bravo to beat, who brilliantly parried the striker’s first shot but was unable to save the second, as the Bilbao fans hysterically celebrated what would be their first piece of silverware in three decades. Substitute Kiko Sola was given his marching orders just 5 minutes just into his introduction but even that couldn’t tarnish his side’s ecstasy as Barcelona’s dream of the sextuplet came to an embarrassing end.
In England, Liverpool registered another 1-0 win, this time against newcomers Bournemouth, thanks to controversial goal by new signing Christian Benteke.
Tags: Athletic Bilbao Barcelona Messi Spanish Super Cup
