First it was on May 7, 1986 at the Sánchez Pizjuán. Then on May 25, 2019 at Benito Villamarín. And finally on January 17, 2021 at the La Cartuja stadium. Three different fields in the same city and three defeats, hard to accept, that remain in the history of Barcelona. Only once, in 1925, did the Barça team win a final in this city … And it was in a different fourth stadium, the now defunct Reina Victoria stadium, where they beat Arenas de Getxo. In a very, very distant time …
Nothing, of course, can compare to the defeat of 1986, when Barcelona reached the final of the Champions League, called the European Cup at that time, to face a Steaua from Bucharest that no one believed. They surpassed the team led by Bernd Schuster and led by Englishman Terry Venables. The clash ended in the penalty shootout and with defeat … And without Schuster on the field, replaced by the coach during the second half.
That sporting tragedy was dragged into the soul by Barcelona fans until after six years the thorn was removed when they beat Sampdoria at Wembley with Koeman’s goal, unforgettable … Although in the books it never disappeared, it never will, that painful defeat at Sánchez Pizjuán.
He did not play a final in Seville again until many years later, on May 25, 2019. The team, led by Valverde, reached that final of the Copa del Rey against Valencia coached by Marcelino García Toral in full depression. Although he had conquered the League, he was still dragging the collapse of Anfield, where 18 days before he had been crushed by Liverpool in the Champions League … And Valencia beat him, at Benito Villamarín, 2-1. Messi scored, but was not enough to equal the 2-0 with which the rival had advanced.
And the third came. The last collapse in a game to which Barça arrived rearmed with morale but without obvious football with which to overcome the rival. The feelings against Real Sociedad were no longer the best. He won the penalty shoot-out in a semifinal that could fall on either side … And he was seen in a final without the necessary ambition to prevail in football.
Barça, who suffered badly on defense, did not come out to play with character, trying to minimize the risks and trying to win the final with the minimum or, at least, without biting football.
Another big game and another stone in Koeman’s way. Defeated by Getafe and Cádiz in collapses with no excuse in the opponent’s view, Barça has lost this season to Real Madrid and Atlético in the League, was run over by Juventus in the Champions League and lost in their first final against Athletic … A lot to think about.
Messi wanted to play but was not enough to lead the team. Neither Pedri nor Dembélé accompanied him, he could not combine then with De Jong due to the pressure of the rival and only the sparks of Griezmann seemed to give him the necessary air to win.
Could Barça win? Definitely. It could even be said that Athletic tied by chance at the last gasp … But it must be said that this tie rewarded both the courage and faith of the lions and punished the discouragement and little aggressiveness of the Catalans.
Seville was jinx again … And it leaves doubts at the Camp Nou at the worst moment of the season.
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