Suarez On Target As Barca Secure First Leg Win

The Spanish Super Cup pits the league champion against the Copa del Rey victor, but since Barcelona won both, Sevilla was invited as the Copa del Rey runner-up.

“In the pre-season it often happens that we have a lot of games with many goals in attack and defence”.

Barcelona and Sevilla are looking to get the Spanish season started off with a bang.

Sevilla are without David Soria, Nico Pareja, Daniel Carrico and Timothee Kolodziejczak, while Barca have lost goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to injury.

It will be hot in the Pizjuan on Sunday with both sides aiming to give themselves a chance of lifting the title in the Camp Nou in the return leg three days later.

Messi linked effectively with the right-back on that occasion and the mercurial Argentine made light of Iniesta’s absence by masterfully holding up play, gliding through midfield and threading a flawless pass for Munir to prod past the on-rushing Rico as Sevilla’s earlier verve faded from view.

Last season saw Barcelona suffer a shock 1-5 aggregate defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the Super Cup which should mean they must avoid overconfidence.

Sevilla led until stoppage time but Sergio Ramos’ goal levelled the scores at 2-2, before Dani Carvajal scored at the end of extra-time to leave Jorge Sampaoli empty-handed on his debut as the club’s coach.

“We have our minds focused on Sevilla, a team that has changed its style of play with a new manager and looks very unsafe”, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said.

After the defeat by Los Blancos, Sampaoli said: “It was exciting (to play) with such bravery against Real Madrid, with little time to work so far”.

Barcelona confirmed in the Sampdoria match that they score goals easily, but also showed they have to work hard to organise the defence, which conceded 2 soft goals in the match.

The coach doesn’t think playing in both Super Cups is helping his team ahead of the new season.

“They have some players who can cause us problems”.

Sevilla will be without long-term absentees Michael Krohn-Dehli and Benoit Tremoulinas.