TheCable

Barcelona star players showed up to be counted on the night as the Catalans dismantled an abject Sevilla 5-0 to win the Copa Del Rey Cup at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium. A brilliant team display was inspired by Messi and Iniesta to blow away Vicenzo Montella’s men and all but seal a domestic double of League and Cup win for Ernesto Valverde.

After being beaten 3-0 by Roma in their last big game, Barcelona’s stars returned to the starting line-up after being rested for the midweek league game at Celta Vigo. Philip Coutinho was the only survivor from that 2-2 draw as all of Messi, Iniesta, Suarez, Pique, Umtiti and Jordi Alba returned with silverware at stake. Sevilla had not won a game since defeating Man United at Old Trafford, a run of seven games, and they did little to shake off their present form.

The blaugrana were all over Sevilla from the start with Iniesta controlling the attack, and Messi’s free kick from 35 yards destined for the top corner was tipped over by David Soria less than ten minutes into the contest.

Barcelona are known for playing out from the bank and drawing the opponent out before delivering the killer blow and this worked to perfection in the 14th minute but with help from the opposition keeper who failed to come off his line quick enough. Cup ‘keeper Jasper Cilleson’s long pass found Coutinho behind the Sevilla defence and he played a pass across the box for Suarez to tap in the opener while off balance.

The goal seemed to wake Sevilla up and the Andalusians should have equalized three minutes later but Joaquin Correa miskicked at the back post when picked out from a partially cleared corner kick.

Captain Andres Iniesta, playing in probably his last season at the club, should have made it two but he struck the underside of the bar just before the half hour mark, but it did happen one minute later through Messi and via his famed left-sided connection with Jordi Alba. The impressive Andres Iniesta set Alba free inside the box and his deft backheeled pass found the on rushing Argentine maestro, and Barca’s all-time highest goalscorer, to dispatch into the net.

Sevilla couldn’t play at their usual high tempo game and should have been reduced to ten men when captain Escudero cynically stopped Messi from running free on goal. However, the result was beyond Sevilla  five minutes from half time as they were torn to shreds, again with an attack that started out from the back. Suarez received a pass from defence and played a quick one-two pass with Messi before the Uruguayan dispatched for his second on the night and a 3-0 halftime score.

An improved Sevilla emerged after the break but Barcelona, and the Iniesta-Messi link, was too good for Sevilla as the combination produced the fourth goal scored by the veteran midfielder on 52 minutes. The 33 year old received a return pass from Messi inside the box before rounding the keeper as finishing into an empty net. Suarez wanted his hattrick but his shot was saved by Soria and he managed to keep out Umtiti’s rebound from a yard out.

The former Liverpool striker, however, worked out a penalty when he flicked the ball onto young Sevilla defender,Clement Langlet’s hand, and another former Liverpool player, Philip Coutinho, winning his first silverware as a Barca player, was given the honour of adding the fifth from the spot.

The Cup win puts Barca on the verge of a third domestic double in four years as Ernesto Valverde won his first trophy as a Barcelona coach.