FC Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna: Super finalists!

We have a SuperClásico took forward to on Sunday! Thursday’s semi-final may not have been the roller-coaster ride that Real and Atlético Madrid served up at the same stadium the night before, but the result was the right one and Barça and Real Madrid will, as they did 12 months ago, be facing off in the Spanish Super Cup Final.

There were many flashes of blaugrana brilliance, but Osasuna ensured it was no easy win. It took Barça an hour to finally break the Navarran Osasuna defence, Robert Lewandowski delivering the goods, and they then struggled to put the game to bed, with the game-clinching second not coming until three minutes into injury time.

Pedri back

The night also brought the welcome sight of Pedri returning from injury, but on the negative side Barça lost Raphinha to a left leg problem.

It was also a big night for the Brazilian’s replacement. Lamine Yamal came on to become the youngest player ever to appear in this competition. And not only that, but it was he who tucked away the second goal. Two more records for the teenager’s already bulging collection.

First half stalemate

FC Barcelona might have taken 59 minutes to get off the mark, but until that moment they had been enjoying most of the big chances. A combination of tight Osasuna defending, solid goalkeeping by Sergio Herrera, but sadly also the kind of wastefulness over the final third that has been upsetting Xavi so much this season meant the breakthrough wasn’t happening.

A potential red card for what could have been classed as last-man tackle on Raphinha would have been a game-changer, but it wasn’t given, and instead it was the Brazilian who had to leave early with a problem in his left leg.

Lewy at last

As the game wore on an initially nervous-looking Osasuna started settling more and more into the game. Barça were no longer in such strong control of the proceedings, and Iñaki Peña’s services were required an increasing number of times.

Barça needed to find a spark, and it finally came on 59 minutes. Ilkay Gundogan threaded the ball through to Robert Lewandowski, and although the Pole was surrounded by red shirts, he was able to find the room to shoot…

His finish was more than worthy of the occasion, and Barça were finally a goal to the good.

Lamine settles it

Osasuna, chasing their first ever major trophy and desperate to extend their stay in Saudi Arabia until the weekend, naturally gave it everything they had and more to get back into the game.

But Barça held their ground nicely and finally doubled up when regulation time was already up. It goes down as Lamine Yamal’s goal, but it was as much and more about Joao Felix’s tremendous solo run in the build-up.

All-in-all, a performance to proud of, but that’s only the first half of the job done. If Barça are to retain the trophy they won last season, they’ll have to beat Real Madrid. They already did that last year.

Time to do it again!