Follow the major changes at the Nou Camp in our FREE Barca newsletter Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Ousmane Dembele’s spectacular strike from distance left Sevilla goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik stunned and earned Barcelona victory over Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup. The Catalans won the trophy for the 13th time in Tangier, Morocco, the first time it has been competed outside of Spain, and this season it was a one-off match rather than a two-legged affair. Barcelona won the domestic double so played Copa del Rey runners up Sevilla, who put up a good fight until they were sunk by Dembele’s bulldozing effort. Sevilla opened the scoring after nine minutes when Pablo Sarabia swept home after good work from Luis Muriel, with VAR proving the winger was onside after his effort was initially ruled out. Barcelona levelled in the 42nd minute when Pique stabbed the ball home after Messi’s free-kick hit the post and bounced out via the goalkeeper and the upright again. As the game headed towards extra-time Dembele took control and lashed in a vicious strike from just outside the area which crashed in off the crossbar and handed Barcelona victory, but not before late drama. Marc-Andre ter Stegen brought down former Barcelona player Aleix Vidal but then denied Wissam Ben Yedder from the penalty spot to keep Barcelona ahead. Here are the five key talking points… (Image: REUTERS) (Image: REUTERS) 1. Dembele turns the page Rumours have been rife in Spain that Dembele will leave Barcelona after a debut season that bordered on disastrous, thanks to severe injury problems and trouble adapting to life in Barcelona and the demands of such a big club. Even as recently as this week, Ernesto Valverde hinted there is a chance the Frenchman might not be staying. But in the second half, with Suarez misfiring, Dembele took control. The forward worried the Sevilla defence with his running and speed, forcing Vaclik into a smart save. The stopper had no chance, though, when Dembele slammed home the winner from outside the area into the top corner. A stunning strike and perhaps a turning point in Dembele’s Barcelona career. This could be a huge season for him. Valverde brought him off with a few minutes to go and Barcelona fans showed their appreciation. It is time to make him feel loved. (Image: REUTERS) 2. VAR makes instant impact in Spanish football Barcelona and Real Madrid beware. For a long time other La Liga sides have complained that Spain’s big two get the rub of the green when it comes to refereeing, but the introduction of VAR will change that. We know video refereeing is not a perfect system and it must still be finessed and improved but it is certainly an advance on the human eye. Sevilla already reaped the benefits, with Sarabia’s curled effort initially ruled out for offside but restored after a brief VAR consultation. In years gone by, that goal would have stayed disallowed and Barcelona handed an unfair advantage. The top sides may well find that things aren’t quite as comfortable as they used to be. (Image: AFP) 3. Malcom the fall guy as Barca swerve Sevilla’s threat After the Spanish Football Federation said it was fine for Barcelona to play with more than three non-EU players in the team, Sevilla threw a hissy fit. Spanish regulations put a cap on the number of players from abroad in the match day squad, and with Barcelona waiting for Philippe Coutinho to get a Portuguese passport, it creates a problem. Barcelona in theory could not pick Arturo Vidal, Malcom and Arthur, three signings from South America, with Coutinho. If they did, Sevilla said they would refuse to play in the Super Cup. Barcelona said that Coutinho’s passport has been obtained, creating some confusion, but still left Malcom out of the squad, thereby swerving the issue. In the coming days the issue should be cleared up and it is not expected to be an issue when La Liga kicks off at the weekend. Missing the game was a blow for Malcom, who has impressed in his early Barcelona appearances during this summer’s friendlies. (Image: AFP) 4. Sluggish Suarez Last season Luis Suarez started the season very poorly, netting just three time in 14 matches. The Uruguayan misfired and spluttered, holding Barcelona back instead of propelling them forward as he usually does with his goals. Suarez failed to strike in any of the club’s six group matches in the Champions League and it was only after being given a rest by Uruguay during an international break that he was able to build up some fitness and improve his form. Against Sevilla it looked like he had been transported back to the lower level he was playing at in the first past of last season. Given the chance to run at the defence he snatched at an early shot, perhaps afraid that he could not beat the defender for pace. Suarez’s passing and link play were off too and Barcelona found it hard to build anything around him. It is too early to ring alarm bells but Valverde will want to think about his plans if Suarez does go through another barren spell. They might involve Munir El Haddadi, who was included on the bench at the expense of Paco Alcacer, after a good loan spell at Alaves, or new boy Malcom, Messi as a false nine, Dembele moved more centrally… the point is, there are options. Last year, thanks to Dembele’s injury, there weren’t. (Image: REUTERS) 5. Machin’s Sevilla machine Pablo Machin enjoyed a superb season with newly promoted Girona last time out and it earned him a move south to Sevilla. The coach found a team which was a bit messy after Vincenzo Montella’s spell there but there are already signs he is turning them into a more well-oiled machine. Their squad pales in comparison to Barcelona’s stars so, with the caveat that this is still very early and Sevilla’s players have had more time together given few were at the World Cup, this was an impressive opening statement from the Andalusians. They will be fighting to get back into the top four as well as bidding for another tilt at the Europa League and the early signs are promising. (Image: AFP)<doc-sep>Sign up to FREE email alerts from Football London - Arsenal Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Ousmane Dembele's rocket won the Supercopa for Barcelona in a 2-1 victory against Sevilla. The Catalan side had come from behind to claim the Spanish Supercopa in Morocco and Wissam Ben Yedder missed a late penalty to take the game into extra-time on the 88th minute. Pablo Sarabia put Sevilla 1-0 up when the video assistant referee gave a goal which had been ruled out for offside. But Gerard Pique levelled from close range from a Lionel Messi free-kick and Ousmane Dembele then unleashed a fierce strike from outside the area in the roof of the goal after clipping the underside of the bar. The winger was linked with a move to Arsenal this summer after he was reported to be unhappy at the club's purchase of Brazilian winger Malcom from Roma. According to Sport, Dembele was said concerned that his place is under threat from Malcom and his agent reportedly organised talks with Barcelona with regards to the winger's role in the squad for the coming season. The 21-year-old signed from Borussia Dortmund for £135.5million last summer following the departure of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain. Injuries hampered his start to life in Spain last season and he has been dogged by rumours of an early exit. As evident during Arsenal's defeat to Manchester City in the opening day of the 2018/19 Premier League season - the Gunners are in need of a pacy winger following the departures of Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott in the January transfer window. With the French World Cup winner said to hold a good relationship with the Gunners' head of recruitment Sven Mislintat from their time at Borrusia Dortmind - there was talk of him making a potential deal to bring wide man to the Emirates this summer. However, Gunners' fans were somewhat disheartened after his spectacular goal last night. Keep up to date with the latest news, features and exclusives from football.london via the free football.london app for iPhone and Android. Available to download from the App Store and Google Play.<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. King's Cup runners-up Sevilla took a surprise lead in the traditional curtain raiser to the season against Barcelona when Pablo Sarabia fired home in the ninth minute after Luis Muriel had powered his way through the Barca defence. The video assistant referee (VAR) was used for the first time in Spanish football to award the goal, which had initially been ruled offside. Gerard Pique levelled for Barca shortly before halftime by pouncing on the rebound after Lionel Messi's free kick had ricocheted off the post, while Sevilla's Franco Vazquez glanced a header off the crossbar in the second half in Tangier, Morocco. The competition, which ditched its traditional two-legged format and was also played outside Spain for the first time, looked to be headed for extra-time until Dembele let fly from outside the area and his shot thumped in off the crossbar in the 78th minute. Sevilla had a golden late chance to force extra-time when former Barca player Aleix Vidal was fouled by Ter Stegen in the 89th minute, but substitute Wissam Ben Yedder struck his penalty softly along the ground and the towering German goalkeeper comfortably caught the ball. The win makes Messi Barcelona's most decorated player of all time with 33 trophies, one more than former midfielder Andres Iniesta. The Argentine lifted his first piece of silverware with Barca as club captain.<doc-sep>
Ousmane Dembele scores a spectacular winner as Barcelona claim the 2018 Spanish Super Cup with a 2-1 victory over Sevilla in Morocco. Ousmane Dembele scored a spectacular winner as Barcelona claimed the 2018 Spanish Super Cup with a 2-1 victory over Sevilla in Morocco on Sunday night. Pablo Sarabia had sent Sevilla ahead in the early stages of the match, but Gerard Pique levelled late in the first period before Dembele's stunner 12 minutes from time saw Barcelona lift the Spanish Super Cup for the 13th time. Sevilla did have a golden chance to level the scores from the penalty spot in second-half stoppage time, but Wissam Ben Yedder saw his effort saved by Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. © Reuters Sevilla made the breakthrough in the ninth minute of the match, although it would have been disallowed but for the invention of VAR, which showed that the linesman was wrong to flag Sarabia offside. Indeed, a breakaway from Sevilla led to Luis Muriel feeding Sarabia, and the attacker expertly swept the ball into the bottom corner of the net to send Pablo Machin's side ahead on the night. Barcelona came close to an equaliser in the 16th minute when a quick corner released Lionel Messi inside the box, but Sevilla's new goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik made a super save, before keeping out a Jordi Alba strike minutes later. Vaclik made another save to keep out a Luis Suarez strike in the 24th minute, before Barcelona debutant Clement Lenglet - in action against his former club - headed a Messi free kick over the crossbar as chances continued to arrive. Suarez had a golden chance to level the scores late in the first period when he found space inside the box, but the Uruguay international missed the far post as Sevilla kept their one-goal lead intact. © Reuters The Barcelona equaliser did arrive before the break, however, with Pique converting from close range after Messi's free kick had come back off the post and hit Vaclik before dropping into a dangerous position. Sevilla almost regained their lead moments later when Muriel again found Sarabia inside the Barcelona box, but Ter Stegen was on hand to make a terrific save as the pair headed down the tunnel at 1-1. Ivan Rakitic came off the Barcelona bench at the interval, and the Croatian was quickly followed by Philippe Coutinho as head coach Ernesto Valverde made alterations. Sevilla responded by introducing Portugal international Andre Silva, with the striker making his debut following a move from AC Milan. The first serious attempt of the second period came from another Messi free kick just before the hour, but Vaclik did well to make the stop. Franco Vazquez then headed an Ever Banega corner onto the crossbar moments later as Sevilla came within inches of taking the lead in Morocco once again. © Reuters Barcelona's next chance arrived in the 64th minute when Messi released Dembele inside the Sevilla box, but the Frenchman saw his effort saved by Vaclik, before Vazquez fired wide of the post down the other end. Jesus Navas fired into the arms of Ter Stegen 15 minutes from time as chances continued to arrive, before Vaclik made a wonderful double save to deny Suarez and Messi. Barcelona did take the lead in the 78th minute, however, when Dembele found space outside the Sevilla box before hammering an unstoppable effort into the back of the net via the woodwork. Arturo Vidal came off the bench for his Barcelona debut late on, and there was drama in the final moments when Ter Stegen brought Aleix Vidal to the deck to hand Sevilla the chance to level from the spot. The Barcelona goalkeeper made up for his mistake, however, as he kept out Ben Yedder's weak attempt to ensure that the reigning Spanish champions would lift the trophy once again. SEVILLA (3-4-2-1): Vaclik; Mercado (Ben Yedder 85'), Gomez, Kjaer; Escudero, Banega, Mesa, Navas; Sarabia (Aleix Vidal 71'), Vasquez; Muriel (Silva 60') BARCELONA (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Busquets, Rafinha (Rakitic 46'), Arthur (Coutinho 53'); Dembele (Arturo Vidal 86'), Suarez, Messi