Madrid: Barcelona’s title drought with coach Xavi and without Lionel Messi is finally over.
Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-1 on Sunday to win the Spanish Super Cup at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and give its fans reasons to celebrate again after a revamping process that began following Messi’s departure for Paris Saint-Germain and the arrival of former player Xavi as coach in 2021.
“We’ve been through some tough years, with financial difficulties, Messi’s departure,” Xavi said. “It was not easy to bring back a positive dynamic. This will help give us some tranquility. We’ve been working hard from the beginning despite all the criticism, and we have to keep working.”
Barcelona had not lifted a trophy since the 2021 Copa del Rey under former coach Ronald Koeman.
That was Messi’s 35th and final title with Barcelona before leaving amid the club’s financial struggles.
Robert Lewandowski, Gavi and Pedri scored a goal each in the final at King Fahd Stadium to give Barcelona its first Super Cup trophy since 2018 and its 14th overall and the first since the tournament began being played in a Final Four format in 2020 in a lucrative deal for the Spanish soccer federation.
Gavi opened the scoring in the 33rd minute from close range after a pass by Lewandowski, who doubled the lead after an assist by Gavi in a breakaway just before the end of the first half. Gavi also set up Pedri’s close-range goal in another breakaway in the 69th. Karim Benzema scored for Madrid late in stoppage time. “We’ve been going through changes at the club and I think this triumph will make us stronger and allow us to keep competing.