Barcelona beat Osasuna to set up Super Cup final with Real Madrid
Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal's second-half strikes earned Barcelona a 2-0 win over Osasuna on Thursday and set up a Spanish Super Cup final Clasico rematch.
The Catalans beat Real Madrid in last year's final and will face their bitter rivals again Sunday after Los Blancos beat Atletico Madrid in an eight-goal thriller in the first semi-final in Saudi Arabia. Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera kept Barcelona at bay before Ilkay Gundogan slipped in veteran forward Lewandowski to open the scoring before the hour mark.
The 35-year-old has not been at his best this season but finished clinically to give his team the lead. Yamal, 16, stroked home his first goal since October in stoppage time to clinch Barca's victory. Beating Madrid last season in the Super Cup final earned Xavi Hernandez his first trophy as coach and set up the Spanish champions nicely for their league title tilt.
The sides will do battle again at the Al-Awwal Park stadium in Riyadh with Barcelona attempting to kick-start their season, which has started in disappointing fashion. After opportunities at both ends record 14-time Super Cup winners Barca carved out the first big chance on the break, with Sergi Roberto feeding Lewandowski, but Herrera got down well to deny him.
Jagoba Arrasate's side, runners up in last season's Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid, were playing in the competition for the first time. The vast majority of Saudi fans were supporting Barca but there was a strip of supporters dressed in Osasuna red, who cheered as Herrera pummeled Ilkay Gundogan's free-kick away.