After playing to a 1-1 draw on August 21, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will resume the 2013 Spanish Super Cup at Camp Nou. Goals from David Villa of Atletico and Neymar of Barca proved to be the only tallies of the game as slow attack play coupled with shutdown defense scripted the outcome of the first showdown. Barcelona will have the advantage of playing in front of its loyal fan base for the second go-round but as manager Gerardo Martino and company enter the final match, it remains unknown whether or not superstar Lionel Messi will be able to participate.
The world's top player was removed from last week's contest after bruising a thigh. This was the second-straight game Martino has elected to pull Messi for a substitution and even though the goal-scorer has returned to team workouts, there is no guarantee that the World Player of the Year will play a part in the second and final leg of the Super Cup. Barca does have the explosive play of rising star Neymar on the team and his team prepares for the upcoming finale, the Brazilian star will surely be expected to build off his performance in the opening match when he tied the game in the 66th minute.
When and Where to Watch Second Leg of Spanish Super Cup
Barcelona will host Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, August 28 at 4:55, EDT. Television coverage will be provided by ESPN Deportes while on-line broadcasts can be found by visiting WatchESPN or by following this link.
What's At Stake
Making the franchises fifth-consecutive appearance in the final, Barcelona can claim the Spanish Super Cup for the fourth time in five years. The club fell to Real Madrid last season, ending a stretch of three-straight titles where they took down Real Madrid (2011), Sevilla (2010) and Athletic Bilbao (2009).
While Barca has certainly enjoyed monumental success in this event, Atletico Madrid's history is much smaller. The 2012-2013 UEFA Super Cup champions have only claimed the Spanish Super Cup on one occasion. Claiming the title during the 1984-1985 campaign thanks to a victory over Barcelona, Atletico has only gone on to finish second in the event on three separate dates, failing to achieve the top honor in over 25 years.
It will also be a tall order for Madrid to take down Barcelona on Wednesday night in Spain not only because the championship match brings high stakes but because Madrid has not had much luck at Camp Nou in recent years.
Failing to take down Barca since the 2005-2006 season, David Villa and company hope to take advantage of some of the injuries their opponents are currently dealing with.
In addition to the thigh injury of Messi, Barca has been monitoring the health of Ibrahim Afellay (thigh), Carles Puyol (knee) and Isaac Cuenca (knee) since all 3 players are still out of action. Star defender Adriano is also doubtful with a hamstring injury according to Goal.com.
Wrap Up
Be sure to catch the second leg of the 2013 Spanish Super Cup between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, August 28 at 4:55pm, EDT. Television coverage will be provided by ESPN Deportes with on-line streaming available through WatchESPN or by following this link.
RELATED: Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Gunners Still Pursuing Real Madrid's Mesut Ozil?
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
