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In the end, it was a predictable result. Champions League winners Bayern Munich beat Europe winner Sevilla 2-1 to win the UEFA Super Cup and further underline their status as the best club in the world. But a winning goal late in the first half of extra time by substitute Javi Martinez, who failed to score in 24 games last season, was not a predictable way for the perennial Bundesliga champion to win.
Martinez had been on the field for just five minutes when he headed after Bono had saved a shot from David Alaba. Martinez, coincidentally, had also scored in Bayern’s last Super Cup, forcing penalties in the final moments of extra time in 2013 against Chelsea. But this was quite possibly the Spanish international’s last game for the club, with Martinez reportedly set to return to Athletic Bilbao.
It had been a strange night everywhere, especially due to the presence of fans: 20,000 of them, socially estranged through the Puskas Arena in Budapest. The local mayor, fearing an outbreak of COVID-19, had asked that the experiment be abandoned and, although the presence of spectators was welcome in terms of the spectacle, only in the next few days will it be possible to determine whether the measure was a success or not. If there is no series of positive tests, and very few fans traveled from Munich, where there has been a recent increase in the virus, then this could offer a glimpse of the future in countries where the pandemic is under some sort of control.
Another curious site was that of Bayern behind on the scoreboard. Sevilla took the lead in the 13th minute with a penalty from Lucas Ocampos. The only doubt about the penalty, awarded when David Alaba stormed Ivan Rakitic as he moved towards a Luuk De Jong header across the goal, was that it was the type of offense that is often not penalized. In fact, there was even an argument that it could have been a red card – there was no realistic attempt to play Alaba’s ball, so the only thing that saved him was presumably the idea that Rakitic would not have reached his own touch and so it was not a clear scoring opportunity. However, Ocampos, ostentatiously looking to his right to send Manuel Neuer down the wrong path, shot to his left to convert the penalty.
From then on, it was a story of Bayern dominance. Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski had unusually wasted presentable opportunities before Lewandowski’s skillful firing set Leon Goreztka going for a measured finish to equalize in the 34th minute.
Bayern, who entered on Thursday with 22 consecutive victories in all competitions, are playing with supreme confidence at the moment and, while the arrogance of Friday’s Bundesliga opening 8-0 over Schalke was not quite right , only a narrow offside was denied. he was a brilliant second after a daring double in the area between Lewandowski and Muller.
The only thing that kept a Bayern victory from seeming inevitable was the nature of Sevilla, which has a habit of weathering storms and finding winners. It may be an exaggeration to suggest that he could win his first La Liga title since 1946 this season, but with Real Madrid and Barcelona in what could politely be called a transition, there is certainly a chance that he could bring the two greats closer than them. ” You are used to being pushed.
Ever Banega and Sergio Reguilon have passed from the Europa League winning team, and Jules Kounde has been liked by Manchester City, but Rakitic impressed when he began his second spell at the club. The strength of the club over the years has always been its ability to regenerate, thanks in large part to its sporting director, Monchi, and it remains as well organized as ever under the leadership of coach Julen Lopetegui. He entered the game on a 21-game unbeaten streak.
There was even a chance for Sevilla to beat him with two minutes remaining, as Youssef El-Nesyri was played by Jesús Navas only to be rejected by Neuer. The Moroccan international also crashed into the post early in extra time, although he would probably have been called offside if the ball had entered.
Once that opportunity was gone (and as Lyon learned, you can’t miss your chances against Bayern), the German powerhouse returned to ascendancy. Perhaps the chances Sevilla had are of some concern – with Alphonso Davies coming off the bench, Bayern weren’t in top form either – but the chances they missed have been a feature of their game throughout this winning streak. You simply go back to score more than your opponent. And the truth is that he had enough chances to have won with much more comfort. As an offensive force, Bayern are an exceptional team.
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