BARCELONA: Lionel Messi scored two goals, including the late winner, as Barcelona won its 10th Spanish Super Cup with a dramatic 3-2 victory over bitter rival Real Madrid that ended with both benches brawling on the Camp Nou pitch.
Messi volleyed Adriano’s cross past Iker Casillas for the 87th-minute winner to finish off a move started by recent arrival Cesc Fabregas, who made his Barcelona debut as a late substitute.
But a dramatic, up-tempo match in which Madrid twice rallied to equalize descended into a scrum in injury time as tensions on the hot, humid night at the Camp Nou reached a climax after Madrid defender Marcelo’s hasty challenge on Fabregas.
Players pushed and shoved after the ugly tackle in front of the benches, with Madrid coach Jose Mourinho even putting his hand into Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova’s face during the melee. After the players were separated and three red cards were brandished, Barcelona lifted its record-equaling third straight Super Cup. That gave Pep Guardiola his 11th major piece of silverware, surpassing Johan Cruyff to become the Catalan club’s most successful coach.
Barcelona displayed all the verve of the beautiful game that guided it to Spanish league and Champions League triumphs while Madrid showed no capitulation after a frustrating 2-2 draw in the first leg it dominated.
Despite Ronaldo nearly putting the visitors ahead in the opening seconds, Messi helped put Barcelona on the scoreboard first as he fed Andres Iniesta for the 15th-minute opener, then scored his first before the break. Madrid rallied through goals by Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema before Messi clinched the 5-4 aggregate victory. (Agencies)
