How to Win Without Winning

30000 Euros is how much Barcelona CF played the Barcelona public transit company to keep the system running for an extra hour, in order to provide some service, after regular closing hours, to fans going home after the Barcelona - Atletico Madrid super cup encounter, second leg.

They won't regret that decision -- and I really don't know why the hell the Spanish federation is now scheduling so many matches to start at 11 PM, Spanish time - because it's not just this one! - but they must know what they're doing, I guess -- because Barcelona (barely) edged out by Simeone's team to snatch the Spanish Super Cup.

No big thanks to Messi, though.

The Argentinian, now proven to be an infamously bad penalty taker, has missed yet another spot kick. This one, in the 89th minute.

It would have almost surely meant the win for Barcelona, who had much better chances than Atletico in the second half.

The Madrid team, on the other hand, had better chances in the first half, when Victor Valdes saved the Catalan giants more than twice from going down in the goal count. Unfortunately for Atletico, its players didn't have the same spark in the second half, when they became impatient, nervous, and even completely cracked down (such as Filipe Luis and Turan, who both got red-carded by the referee).

So, Barca wins the trophy without actually winning any of the matches.

Nobody can say that Atletico Madrid outplayed them, but I think it's safe to say that Barcelona is no longer the team to beat in Europe. Or in the world, because it's probably the same thing.
I don't know who is, or if there even is one, but a team who wins trophies without winning matches is more lucky than extremely good.

2013.08.28 - The Result

SPAIN: Super Cup, leg 2

23:00 -- Atletico - Barcelona 0-0, 1-1 on aggregate, Barcelona wins on away goals
x - 89' Lionel Andres Messi (m. pen. Barcelona) - x

2013.08.21 - The Results

ENGLAND: Barclays Premiership

20:45 -- Chelsea - Aston Villa 2-1     highlights
[1-0]  6' Antonio Luna (o.-g.)
[1-1]  45' + 3' Christian Benteke
[2-1]  73' Branislav Ivanovic

Current standings:
1 Chelsea  2 2 0 0 4-1 +3  6p
2 Manchester C.  1 1 0 0 4-0 +4  3p
3 Manchester U.  1 1 0 0 4-1 +3  3p
4 West Ham  1 1 0 0 2-0 +2  3p
5 Aston Villa  2 1 0 1 4-3 +1  3p



SPAIN: Super Cup, leg 1

23:00 -- Atletico - Barcelona 1-1     highlights
[1-0]  12' David Villa
[1-1]  66' Neymar

2012.08.29 - The Results

SPAIN: Super Cup (leg 2)

22:30 -- Real Madrid - Barcelona 2-1     highlights
[1-0]  11' Gonzalo Higuain
[2-0]  19' Cristiano Ronaldo
[2-1]  45' Lionel Andres Messi



CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Play-off round (leg 2)

Champions Section:
20:45 -- Celtic Glasgow (Scotland) - Helsingborg (Sweden) 2-0 (1-0), 4-0 on aggregate
20:45 -- CFR Cluj (Romania) - FC Basel 1-0 (1-0), 3-1 on aggregate
Non-Champions Section:
20:45 -- Dynamo Kyiv - Borussia M'Gladbach 1-2, 4-3 on aggregate
[0-1]  70' Yevhen Khacheridi (o.-g.)
[0-2]  78' Juan Arango
[1-2]  88' Brown Ideye
20:45 -- Fenerbahce - Spartak Moscow 1-1 (0-1), 2-3 on aggregate
20:45 -- Lille - FC Copenhagen (Denmark) 1-0 (1-0), 1-1 on aggregate, 2-0 (2-0) after extra time, 2-1 total aggregate score

2012.08.23 - The Results

SPAIN: Super Cup (leg 1)

22:30 -- Barcelona - Real Madrid 3-2
[0-1]  55' Cristiano Ronaldo
[1-1]  56' Pedro Rodriguez
[2-1]  70' Lionel Andres Messi (pen.)
[3-1]  78' Xavi Hernandez
[3-2]  85' Angel Di Maria