Real Betis against Barcelona: as it happened

Betis were superb, but due to Marc-André ter Stegen’s penalty heroics, Barcelona edged off Los Verdiblancos and now have the potential to raise the first title of Xavi’s stint as coach.

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Barça will meet holders and bitter rivals Real Madrid in Sunday’s final, in the first Clásico of the season.

Be sure to join us for live-text coverage of the battle, which begins off at at King Fahd International Stadium at 2pm ET/11am PT.

Thanks for joining!

WILLIAM ALLEN

“We’ve proved once again that we have a terrific team”

Real Betis have just issued this statement on their official Twitter account:

“We’re not going to win the Terrific Cup, but we’ve demonstrated once again that we have a super team.”

They’re a really good side, it must be acknowledged. Barça, as the old cliché goes, know they’ve been in a game.

16th Super Cup Clásico battle in store

Sunday’s Clásico will be the 16th game that Barcelona and Real Madrid have played in the Spanish Super Cup, Mister Chip writes.

So far, Madrid have won nine, Barça have won four and there have been two ties (the Super Cup used to be contested over two legs) (the Super Cup used to be played over two legs).

Xavi: “Ter Stegen’s a match-winning goalie”

Xavi has talked to Movistar – he doesn’t seem all that taken with his team’s performance today.

Couldn’t kill game while in control:

“The first half we were in absolute control, and if we’d scored the second goal it would have transformed the game […]. We made it tough for ourselves against a really good side.”

Loren goal for Betis:

“I don’t know how the ball got in, it’s a fantastic bacljeel.”

Sloppy in possession:

“We handed the ball away unnecessarily too many times […]. We’re battling to kill games off.”

Ter Stegen:

“He’s a match-winning goalie. I’m thrilled with the way he’s performed while I’ve been here.”

Clash with Real Madrid:

“I always want to play against the best and defeat the best, and I believe Madrid are one of the finest teams.”

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We’re devastated. But the players and the spectators can feel proud of the fight that we displayed. We’re satisfied with how we played.

Betis defender Juan Miranda, speaking to Movistar

Ter Stegen: “A extremely tough game”

Fresh off saving two penalties, Barça hero Marc-André ter Stegen has talked to Movistar on Spanish TV:

Fine Betis performance:

“It was an extremely challenging game, especially in the second half. Betis possessed a lot of the ball and made it incredibly tough for us. I’m incredibly thrilled with the victory.”

Clásico in the final:

“It’ll be a pretty amazing game. Everybody wants to witness such games. We’re happy to play in them, and truly want to win them.”

WILLIAM ALLEN

Barça crush Betis’ Super Cup chances again

Real Betis truly could scarcely have done more to reach the final, but they go home and Barcelona go on to the title finale. The Blaugrana will have the opportunity to win the Spanish Super Cup for the first time since its expansion to a four-team format.

For Betis, their second participation in the Super Cup has ended precisely as their first did, with loss to Barça.

Other than the initial 20 minutes or so, Manuel Pellegrini’s side battled toe-to-toe with the Catalans, in a semi-final that brought us not one, but two unforgettable goals. Ansu Fati’s volley was an immaculate peach, as was Loren Morón’s backheeled leveller only minutes later.

So, a Clásico it is in the final.

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William Carvalho misses! Betis 2-3 Barça

All the emphasis is now on Carvalho… whose penalty is saved!

If Barça score their next penalty, they’re into the final.

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Ansu Fati scores! Betis 2-3 Barça

Ansu Fati steps up with the chance to give Barça the lead… and does! He sends Bravo the wrong way.

Juanmi misses! Betis 2-2 Barça

Juanmi will take Betis’ third penalty… and it’s saved! He smacks it too near to Ter Stegen, who beats it out.

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Kessié scores! Betis 2-2 Barça

Kessié creates an extremely strange run-up, comprising roughly a million baby steps… and beats Bravo! Just.

Morón scores! Betis 2-1 Barça

Fresh after scoring a fantastic goal, Loren Morón takes next for Betis.

He rushes up… and totally wallops it into the net!

Lewandowski scores! Betis 1-1 Barça

For Barcelona, it’ll be Lewandowski up first. He incorporates a very prominent parading in his run-up, before blasting into the corner! Again the goalie goes the wrong way.

Willian José scores! Betis 1-0 Barça

So it’ll be Willian José who goes first for Betis… and he sends Ter Stegen the wrong way! Lovely penalty.

Betis to take first

William Carvalho and Sergio Busquets have just done the coin toss, and it was the Betis man who won it. He has, predictably, opted to shoot first. The data do show, after all, that the side that takes the early penalty tends to come out on top.

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FT: Barcelona executes one more assault, but Ansu Fati’s pass into the area is too high for Araújo… and Del Cerro Grande puts extra time to an end. Like Madrid against Valencia yesterday, this semi-final is going to be determined from the spot!

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120: One minute of time tacked on.

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119: Guardado is off! He’s already been booked once when he goes in extremely late on Kessié, and Del Cerro Grande has no hesitation in displaying a second yellow. Betis are down to 10 men.

117: Now Guardado gets the opportunity to whip a corner in from the right, but Juanmi is punished for a push.

At the opposite end, Ferran sends a low ball into the Betis box toward Ansu Fati’s dash to the penalty spot. He attempts to replicate Loren with a backheel into the corner, but he can’t get enough on it. Bravo goes down to harvest without too much trouble.

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115: Guardado lofts a free-kick inside the Barça area towards Pezzella. He attempts to nod it back across the goal, but can only loop it up into the air, and Barcelona grabs it clear.

Five minutes from spot-kicks.

Guardado is booked for bringing down Pedri.

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Barça’s contrasting defensive records

As Pedro Martín writes, Barcelona has already surrendered six in 16 in La Liga this season, and 17 in eight in all other competitions. Such a contrast.

Peep! Into the final quarter of an hour, we go.

HT: Peeep peeep peeep! HT in ET.

Penalties beginning to materialize on the horizon…

There’s a shooting opportunity for Kessié, but he hits his strike straight toward Bravo. It was hit hard enough from the edge of the box, but he couldn’t disturb the Betis keeper.

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105: Three minutes of time tacked on at the conclusion of the first session.

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102: Luiz Henrique has been fantastic tonight.

What a first half we’ve had in extra time.

99: Goal! Real Betis 2-2 Barcelona – Morón
Betis are level – and, like Ansu Fati minutes before him, Loren Morón has struck a beautiful goal!

98: Ansu Fati leads a Barça break, but is bundled over by Guardado.

Alonso sends the free-kick into the Betis box, but after a moment of a pinball inside the area, the Andalusians get it clear.

Up the other end they go, and…

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Xavi responds to the Ansu Fati score by pulling Gavi and replacing him with Franck Kessié.

93: Goal! Real Betis 1-2 Barcelona – Ansu Fati

It’s lovely.

​​​​​​​Alonso drifts over the free-kick from the right, and it’s headed clear to the outside of the box, where Ansu Fati is waiting. He meets the descending ball with a shot that rockets over Bravo and straight into the far corner, nearly clipping the post on its way in!

Barça back in front.

91: Miranda is awarded a yellow card for a harsh old challenge on Gavi. “That’s an orange-card infraction,” says pundit Carlos Martínez on Spanish TV.

Peep! We’re back underway.

Betis are making a change ahead of the extra half hour, and it’s Fekir who’s coming off. He was beginning to look a little knackered, it’s fair to say.

The fantastically named Loren Morón is on in his stead.

Barça’s VAR difficulties during Super Cup

Well, there’s a stat, courtesy of Mister Chip. Every goal rejected by VAR in the history of the Spanish Super Cup has been scored by Barcelona. Two this year, one in 2021, and two in 2020.

FT: Peeep peeep peeeep! Into extra time we go.

95: One more opportunity for Betis… and Fekir is not all far away from a crazy goal! He’s really been in the mood today. The ball is laid back to him at the top of the box, and he caresses a curling, looping chip barely over Ter Stegen’s bar.

At the other end, Ferran sends the ball across the goal to the back post, where Pezzella somehow manages to deflect the ball away from Ansu Fati and over the bar… but the flag was up. Wouldn’t have counted anyhow.

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93: Back comes Barça, in quest of a late winner – and Ansu Fati has a really great opportunity to take one. He takes it a long way down the left, before moving toward the Betis box. From an angle, he tries to shoot a shot high into Bravo’s goal, but the keeper parries!

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91: Araújo pushes the ball forward and slips it to Ferran on the edge of the area, but he’s dispossessed.

Betis break, and ultimately work it to Fekir 20 yards from the goal. He backheels it into the path of Willian José… whose shot is high, wide, and very, very gorgeous.

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89: There’ll be six minutes of time tacked on at King Fahd International Stadium.

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86: Just under five minutes to go in Riyadh. Can anybody discover a winner? ​​​​​​​

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85: Betis put Guardado on for Guido, while Ansu Fati is on for Barcelona in place of Rafinha.

The earlier changes that I had yet to inform you about, meanwhile, saw Marcos Alonso and Andreas Christensen come on for Barça, with Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba making way. And for Betis, Youssouf Sabaly came in for Ruibal.

83: Having escaped that fright, Betis carve out a chance to grab the lead – but Ter Stegen saves once again!

Fekir, who has had a tremendous second half, performs a wonderful piece of play on the right, before squaring it to the penalty spot. Barça attempt to scramble it clear, but can only scramble it into the path of Miranda who’s approaching at speed. He fizzes a shot toward Ter Stegen’s near post, but the keeper beats it out!

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Lewandowski goal denied!
Before I tell you about those substitutes, let me tell you about a disallowed goal for Barcelona.

Betis had been level for approximately 60 seconds when Ferran rushes into the area and lays it back to Lewandowski, who thumps it into the corner past Bravo.

It’s a clinical finish, but it’s for naught. One VAR review later, the goal has been chalked out because Ferran received the ball in an offside position.

80: Are we in for another spot of extra time… and potentially penalties?

There were a few substitutes shortly after the Fekir goal. Bear with me one second…

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78: Goal! Real Betis 1-1 Barcelona – Fekir
With little over 10 minutes remaining, ​​​​​​​Betis are level! At the top of the box, Luiz Henrique executes a wonderful change of feet to lay it direct to Fekir – although in a somewhat scuffed manner – and the Frenchman strikes a first-time effort low, past Ter Stegen, and into the bottom corner!

77: At one end, Raphinha leads a Barcelona break but, with Ferran waiting in the center, takes an age to square the ball. By the time he does, the opportunity is gone.

On the other…

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74: Raphinha is booked after catching Miranda in the face as they tried for an aerial ball.

A second later, space opens up for Fekir to shoot from right outside the Barcelona box, but he blazes the ball way over! It was a decent-ish opportunity for the Frenchman.

73: We’ve actually got very little goalmouth activity in the second half.

Guido soon takes a shot from 25 yards away, but it’s an awful trundler. Easy for Ter Stegen.

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Landmark Barcelona appearance for Busquets

Busquets is on for his 700th appearance in all competitions for Barcelona, by the way. Decent effort, s’pose.

Luiz Henrique gets booked after giving the referee a little bit too much lip. He thought he’d been fouled by Busquets, but Del Cerro Grande didn’t agree.

68; Betis make a change, replacing Iglesias with Willian José.

67: Oh, that’s a promising assault rejected by Betis. Los Verdiblancos get Miranda racing into space on the left, with guys waiting in the box. He dinks the ball over Roberto’s foot and attempts to progress into the area… but his dink takes him out of play.

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64: The game has been paused for a few minutes, following a serious collision of heads between Araújo and Guido. Both require a hefty dabbing with the magic sponge, but both seem like they’ll be OK to proceed.

61: Barcelona makes a double substitution, inserting Sergio Busquets and Ferran Torres for De Jong and Dembélé.

60: Dembélé gets close! Rafinha leads a Barça break past the halfway line, before sliding it left to the Frenchman. He spins and turns before shooting at goal – but can only find the side-netting.

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59; Sergi Roberto is the first Barça player to go into Carlos del Cerro Grande’s book, following a devastating tackle on Rodri.

58: Pedri so nearly releases Dembélé in behind the Betis defenders. A loose ball goes to the young Spaniard in the middle, and he glances up to find Dembélé with acres of space in between the Betis center-backs. Pedri instantly sends a low, first-time ball up toward the Frenchman, but Bravo is swiftly off his line to deal with the threat.

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56; That’s a brilliant play by Luiz Henrique. He blasts away from Pedri, before racing past Koundé and into the box. The defender does well to go back and deflect the Brazilian’s square ball behind. The corner, regrettably for Betis, comes to naught.

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Lewy stops three-game scoreless streak

Opta mention that Lewandowski’s goal tonight was his first in four games for Barça. He last hit the goal for the Blaugrana in a 1-0 La Liga victory against Valencia at the end of October. Lewy stops three-game scoreless streak

Opta mention that Lewandowski’s goal tonight was his first in four games for Barça. He last hit the goal for the Blaugrana in a 1-0 La Liga victory against Valencia at the end of October.

50: Betis receive their first opportunity to put Barça to the test as they earn a free-kick in the left-hand channel, in a perfect position for Fekir to clip the ball into the mixer. Clip it into the mixer he does, but Koundé heads away – and the flag was up for offside.

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49: Fekir collects the game’s first yellow card following a forceful tackle on De Jong.

47: Lewandowski truly is pretty far from his best self today. Barça work it left to Alba, who rolls a ball into the Betis box, where the Pole is all alone. You’d put your home, and every other worldly thing, on the striker reaching the net, but he utterly misses his kick!

He was offside, it turns out, but still.

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In the Beti’s engine room, Pellegrini has replaced Sergio Canales with William Carvalho.

Peeeep! The teams are back out at King Fahd International Stadium, and we’re begun.

There’s a half-time change to inform you about.

22nd loss to Barça for Pellegrini?

Spanish writer Pedro Martin, who’s also an absolute numbers expert, observes that Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has endured 21 losses against Barcelona in his coaching career so far. He’s lost to Barça more than any other club.

A Pole apart

Spanish football stats guru Mister Chip confirms that Lewandowski is the first Polish player to score a goal in the Spanish Super Cup.

The closest of offside calls

This was the margin by which Raphinha was assessed to have been offside in the build-up to that Pedri disallowed goal. Tight.

Peeep peeep peeeep! That’s half-time. Lewandowski’s goal is the difference so far.

It was all Barcelona for the first 15 to 20 minutes or so, but after Betis regained their feet they started to produce plenty of opportunities themselves. Barça largely has Ter Stegen to thank that the Andalusians didn’t take any of those chances.

Lewandowski has seemed a touch off it – he poorly scuffed a wonderful lay-off from Dembélé, for example – but, as things stand, the Pole’s 19th goal in all competitions this season is propelling Barça into Sunday’s final.

46: Two minutes of time put on in Riyadh.

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45: Two great pauses by Ter Stegen! First, he beats away a low shot by Rodri from the left, before Betis work it to Luiz Henrique at the top of the box. He gets plenty of welly behind his drive, but again Ter Stegen saves!

Betis have done enough to be level at this stage.

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44: Oh, that’s a waste from Roberto. Alba flicks a pass into the box from left to right and finds his teammate full-back in acres of space. If his first touch is nice, he’s got a terrific opportunity to shoot. His initial touch isn’t good.

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42: Barcelona swiftly pins Betis back in search of a second.

Dembélé crosses from the left, but Los Verdiblancos clear, and Barça recycles it out to the right. Roberto feeds it up to Lewandowski, but the flag is up. The striker had slipped into space to collect the ball from an offside position.

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40: Goal! Real Betis 0-1 Barcelona – Lewandowski
It’s superb build-up play by Dembélé, who skins Ruibal and advances into the Betis box. With Lewandowski ripping off into space on the right-hand side of the area, the Frenchman puts it into the Pole’s path.

Lewandowski’s initial effort is stopped by Luiz Felipe, but the ball bounces back up into the striker’s path – and he blasts past Bravo and into the goal!

​​​​​​​Barça lead, just as Betis had been enjoying their greatest stretch thus far.

33: Betis are getting right back into this now, and again go close to snatching an opening!

Luis Henrique takes on Jordi Alba, scampers toward the byline, and puts the ball across the face of the goal. It runs to the back post to into the path of Rodri, who can’t quite redirect it goalwards! It ends up in the side-netting.

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31: Blimey, Betis are so close to seizing the lead!

Fekir sends the corner towards the near post, where Pezzella gets his head to it. He points it downwards from six yards out, but Ter Stegen manages to scramble it back!

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29: Betis are obviously beginning to generate a little more lately. Ruibal scampers down the byline and cuts it back to Canales at the top of the box. Canales smashes it first time toward Ter Stegen’s left-hand corner, but his goal is diverted just wide. Corner to Betis.

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28: Once time, Barça works it out wide to Dembélé. He skips past Ruibal, near the byline, and squares it, but a stretched Pezzella puts a hard kick to it to pull it away.

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23: Pedro goal disallowed for offside!
Having begun to allow Betis back into the game in the final few minutes, Barcelona thought they’d replied by seizing the lead – but the goal is called out by the tightest of offside decisions!

Receiving the ball on the right, Raphinha lofts it into the Betis box, where Pedri toes it into the goal from the edge of the six-yard box. However, the Brazilian was just, just off when the ball was passed to him on the wing.

20: Betis are looking much more dangerous now – with a major helping hand from Koundé, obviously. He sends a terribly undercooked backpass straight to Fekir, who rounds the onrushing Ter Stegen. Araújo has sprinted back to challenge Fekir and shoulders him over just inside the area… but Carlos del Cerro Grande declares no penalty!

A minute earlier, Luiz Henrique had attempted to barrel his way into the area, nearly leading Roberto to turn the ball past Ter Stegen into his own net. The goalie was ready to kick clear.

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29: Fekir does extremely well to win the ball back some 15 yards outside of the Barça box, and now Betis have an opportunity to get their opponents on anything approaching the back foot.

Fekir passes it to Rodri, who attempts to fizz a dead-straight through ball into Iglesias’ dash into the box… but he gets much too much on his delivery. It rushes out for a goal kick.

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15: My my, Barça is finding Lewandowski in the Betis box virtually at will. Again Dembélé squares for the striker, who strikes it the first time – but absolutely scuffs it. He doesn’t seem sharp today.

A minute later, Raphinha cuts a pass in from the right that Lewandowski gets his head to, but he can only glance it into the body of his marker.

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13: Koundé seeks to loft a high ball into space for Alba to attack the left. Ruibal shepherds the ball, and Alba is out of play. Having crossed the byline, both continue to engage in a good old bout of mutual grappling, the kind that sometimes gets ugly. It doesn’t on this occasion, however. All smiles.

Betis have hardly been out of their half.

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10: Again Barça works it to Raphinha in a position to cause a threat on the right. He makes his way to the Beti’s byline, before cutting it back to Lewandowski on the penalty spot. He has his back to goal, so the only choice he believes he has is to attempt a back heel – which doesn’t come off.

A minute later, Dembélé runs forward on the left and finds Lewandowski in a similar position, but the Pole is boxed out.

Barça very much on top in these first 10 minutes.

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8: Barça wins a corner, which Raphinha will deliver. The Brazilian whips it in with velocity into the six-yard box, where Bravo leaps off his line to punch clear. The Chilean takes a bit of a whack off Araújo, who rises to fight him for the ball, but after a little break play continues. Bravo looked to damage his arm.

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5: At the other end, Barça pitches it to De Jong in space to slide it left to Dembélé, who has peeled off into a dangerous position on the corner of the box. De Jong’s pass is overhit, however, and the opportunity is wasted.

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4: There’s the first offensive moment from Betis – and what a goal it would have been. Receiving the ball in the middle, Luiz Henrique spies Ter Stegen off his line, and attempts to catch the German out with a lofted shot from well out. However, while the concept was great, the execution wasn’t.

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3: Back come to Barça – and Raphinha nearly, almost, slips Lewandowski in under the Betis line. The Brazilian’s outside-of-the-boot pass seems like it’s going to curl right into the path of the Pole on the penalty spot, but Ruibal just manages to get a toe to the ball. Betis clear.

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2: It’s all Barcelona ball in the first couple of minutes. First, the Catalans work it out right to Raphinha, who goes forward and into crossing space. He bends a low delivery into the Betis box, but it’s too near to Bravo, who grips on.

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Peeeeeep! We’re underway.

Outcome the teams!

Betis and Barcelona come from the tunnel in Riyadh, where, it must be stated, there are quite a few vacant seats. Not a smashing look.

To avoid clashing with Betis’ colors, Barça is donning the unique combination of their home jersey with red shorts and red socks. Betis are sporting a pretty gorgeous, Ajax-style jersey, with black shorts and socks.

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The starting line-ups: a reminder

The teams are just ready to go to the pitch at King Fahd International Stadium. With little under five minutes to go till Carlos del Cerro Grande gets this semi-final away, here’s a last look at the teams:

Real Betis: Bravo, Ruibal, Pezzella, Luiz Felipe, Miranda, Guido, Canales, Luiz Henrique, Rodri, Fekir, Iglesias.

Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Sergi Roberto, Koundé, Araújo, Alba, De Jong, Pedri, Gavi, Raphinha, Lewandowski, Dembélé.

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The H2H form guide

This is Betis and Barcelona’s first encounter this season – they’re yet to play in La Liga.

In 2021/22, they earned a victory each from their two matches in the Spanish first tier, with both clubs winning away. Juanmi’s late goal handed Betis a 1-0 triumph at Camp Nou in December 2021, before a stoppage-time effort by Jordi Alba secured Barça retribution in Seville in May.

If we broaden our perspective back beyond last term, though, Betis and Barça’s head-to-head record seems somewhat less balanced. Since early 2019, moreover, the Catalans have won six of the sides’ seven games, including five in a row before the Beti’s success in Barcelona.

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Del Cerro Grande to take leadership of semi-final

Tonight’s match referee, by the way, will be Carlos del Cerro Grande, who supervises a Spanish Super Cup match for the first time since the tournament’s expansion.

Del Cerro Grande’s sole prior Super Cup assignment came in 2018 – the last time Barcelona captured the championship.

The 46-year-old took command in the Moroccan capital Tangiers, where goals by Gerard Piqué and Ousmane Dembélé handed Barça a 2-1 win against Sevilla.

Betis boss on Moreno exit: “A great loss”

Pellegrini also shared his opinion on Álex Moreno’s transfer to Aston Villa, acknowledging that Betis would struggle to replace the vacuum left by the full-back.

“It’s a great loss for us,” the 69-year-old remarked. “He provides us so much in attack and in defense, and is in very excellent shape. He won’t be simple to replace.”

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Pellegrini: “Barcelona is always favourite”

In his pre-match news conference on Wednesday, Real Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini suggested the two sides’ type of play could contribute to an entertaining spectacle at King Fahd Stadium

“Hopefully it’s a terrific game” Pellegrini stated. “We’re two teams that concentrate more on building than destroying, so hopefully it’s a nice one – and we win!”

He added: “Barcelona are usually favourite because of how powerful they are, but we don’t feel like we’ve come here simply to make up the numbers.

“We’re here to perform as best as we can and make the most of the talent our guys have.”

(Photo: REUTERS/Mohammed Benmansour)

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Xavi: “We’re very up for it”

And here is what Xavi had to say when asked how important the Spanish Super Cup is to a team like Barça:

“It’s essential to us, of course. And we’re absolutely up for it. I believe we come into it in excellent shape and we’ll attempt to demonstrate good character out there. We want to continue in this competition until Sunday and win the final.”

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More from Barça boss Xavi

Let’s take a look at another set of pre-match remarks from Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernández.

Here he is on the danger presented by Real Betis:

“They prefer to have the ball. Guys like Sergio Canales and Nabil Fekir are also seeking to get the team playing. Technically, they’re incredibly powerful. We’ll find it tough to get the ball off them. And their center midfielders are quite powerful, Guido Rodríguez and William Carvalho.

“Betis find the going a lot difficult without the ball, so we’ll aim to restrict them from having it.”

(Photo: MOHAMMED BENMANSOUR/Reuters)

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Milestone-seeking Busquets among subs

Given that he begins on the bench today, Barça club captain Sergio Busquets will have to wait – for now – to make his 700th appearance for the Catalans.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Xavi said of his fellow World Cup winner: “He’s extremely essential. He’s a vital character in the dressing room, a role model when it comes to professionalism and hard effort.

“And in terms of his on-pitch effect, he gives the squad balance. You can tell if he’s out there or not.

“Busquets will remain the yardstick when he goes – we’ll be asking ourselves if his successor performs like him or not.”

(Photo: JESUS ALVAREZ ORIHUELA/DIARIO AS)

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Moreno switches Betis for Villa

Álex Moreno’s absence from the Beti’s lineup is an imposed one, in light of the fact that he no longer plays for the club. After three and a half years in Seville, the left-back joined Premier League side Aston Villa yesterday.

Four changes for Barça; five for Betis

Barça coach Xavi makes four changes to the lineup that defeated Atlético at the weekend, bringing Sergi Roberto, Jordi Alba, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski back into the team.

Lewandowski is now serving a three-match suspension in La Liga, but is free to lead the line in the Super Cup.

Alejandro Balde, Andreas Christensen, Sergio Busquets and Ansu Fati all slide to the bench.

For Betis, there are five changes. Claudio Bravo, Luiz Felipe, Juan Miranda, Guido Rodríguez, and Rodri all come into the side, replacing Rui Silva, Edgar González, Álex Moreno, William Carvalho, and Andrés Guardado.

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Barcelona team news

The Barça XI has suddenly plummeted too. Xavi has gone with: Ter Stegen, Sergi Roberto, Koundé, Araújo, Alba, De Jong, Pedri, Gavi, Raphinha, Lewandowski, Dembélé.

Betis team news

Betis’ starting line-up has been confirmed! It is: Bravo, Ruibal, Pezzella, Luiz Felipe, Miranda, Guido, Canales, Luiz Henrique, Rodri, Fekir, Iglesias.

Betis will meet Osasuna next in Copa

In case you missed it, incidentally, Betis and Barcelona both learned the name of their future Copa del Rey opponents on Friday.

In the last-16 draw at RFEF HQ, the holders were awarded a tie against fellow top-flight side Osasuna, while Barça was put against giant-killers Ceuta, who is the one surviving third-tier club in the tournament.

Check out the Copa del Rey last-16 draw in full.

WILLIAM ALLEN

Betis and Barcelona form guide

Real Betis and Barcelona both head into the Super Cup with 100% records so far in 2023.

Betis, who sit fourth in LaLiga, beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 in the Spanish top flight at the weekend, having continued their Copa del Rey defense with a 4-1 thumping of fourth-division Ibiza Islas Pitiusas seven days ago.

Barça, meanwhile, took a three-point lead at the top of La Liga with their 1-0 victory in Sunday’s heavyweight clash with Atlético Madrid.

That win came four days after they were pushed all the way in the Copa by third-tier Intercity: Xavi’s men needed an extra-time goal by Ansu Fati to scrape a 4-3 victory over the minnows.

WILLIAM ALLEN \sBarça check in at the King Fahd

Barça’s kit is also neatly laid out – I’ve checked, albeit not in person – and the club’s social-media team has just posted these images of the team arriving at King Fahd Stadium, where we’re just under 90 minutes away from kick-off.

Betis dressing room is all set!

As you can see, the Betis kitten have been busy working their neat-folding magic all over Los Verdiblancos’ dressing room. The captain’s armband, by the way, displays an image of Juan Miranda’s winning penalty in the Copa del Rey final shootout against Valencia in April. Nice touch.

Betis defeated by Barça in a previous Super Cup appearance

In Real Betis’ single Super Cup participation thus far – when the trophy was still a two-team, home-and-away tournament – the Seville club faced… Barcelona.

Having defeated Osasuna to the 2005 Copa del Rey, Betis took on a league-winning team captained by an at-his-peak Ronaldinho – and actually triumphed 2-1 at Camp Nou.

However, that win in Catalonia came after a first leg in which Barça had raced to a 3-0 win at the Estadio Benito Villamarín.

Ludovic Giuly, Samuel Eto’o, and Ronaldinho got the goals in the Andalusian capital – and they were all beauts in their own way.

The first two were scored after totally filthy passes from Ronaldinho and Xavi. The third, a free-kick by the Brazilian, was a ludicrously brilliant ping from distance.

Barcelona’s 27th Super Cup, Betis’ second

Helped, of course, by the fact that more teams now qualify for the competition, Barcelona has been absolute Super Cup regular in recent years. Indeed, the Catalans were last missing from the tournament in 2014.

Real Betis, on the other side, have relatively little Super Cup experience. While Barça has been engaged in a total of 26 Super Cups, Andalusians have only one past participation to their credit, in 2005, and have never collected the title.

Los Verdiblancos qualified as Copa del Rey champions 17 years ago, and that’s also how they earned their spot in this season’s Super Cup.

WILLIAM ALLEN
Barcelona has yet to win Super Cup since the expansion

Anyway, getting back to today’s game in the Saudi capital: Barcelona begin their quest to win the 14th Spanish Super Cup in their history – and their first since the tournament was revamped.

The Blaugrana, who qualified for this year’s event by finishing second in La Liga last season, last lifted the trophy in 2018, the final time it was a two-team affair.

In the four-team Super Cup, Barça has been knocked out in the semi-finals twice – including a last-four defeat to Real Madrid 12 months ago – and were runners-up to Athletic Club in 2021.

WILLIAM ALLEN \sMadrid the first trophy holder entering the final since Super Cup refurbishment

Incidentally, Madrid is the very first La Liga or Copa del Rey holder to proceed to the Spanish Super Cup final since the competition was extended to its present four-team format in 2019/20. That actually is quite a stat.

Madrid enters the final after squeezing past Valencia

As I say, Madrid awaits the trophy decider this weekend. Los Blancos are through to their second consecutive Super Cup final after edging over Valencia on penalties Wednesday, after a 1-1 draw at King Fahd Stadium.

Gray Cömert and José Gayà both missed their shots for Los Che as Madrid triumphed 4-3 from the spot.

Check here how it occurred, courtesy of my colleague Roddy Cons.

(Photo: Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)

WILLIAM ALLEN \sReal Betis against Barcelona: Welcome

Hello, hello, hello! Welcome to our live coverage of the second semi-final of the 2023 Spanish Super Cup, as Real Betis and Barcelona fight for a position in Sunday’s final against holders Real Madrid.

Kick-off in Riyadh comes at 2 pm ET, some two hours or so away. All being well, team news should be with us by approximately 1 pm.

WILLIAM ALLEN

The post Real Betis vs Barcelona summary: score, goals, highlights | Spanish Super Cup 2023 first appeared on AYEFOO.IN.