'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAf/2gAIAQEAAAAAj6v/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAB/9oACAECEAAAAD//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAEDEAAAAE//xAAfEAACAgIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwIRAAQFEjFDcpP/2gAIAQEAAT8AVypglyXbWy0dJlIsVBnqBfYVeDk9ivD8Rn//xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAP/aAAgBAgEBPwBg3//EABgRAAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMRAAEC/9oACAEDAQE/AAHJlq5//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Spanish Super Cup is the official curtain raiser of the new La Liga season and is contested by the reigning La Liga Champions and reigning Copa Del Rey winners, when both the winners are the same, like the case of Barcelona this year, the runners-up of the domestic cup is taken as the opponents. Unlike past editions, this will be a single match hosted at a neutral venue, Stade Ibn Batouta in Morocco. The teams will be vying for a winning momentum going into the La Liga as well as having a taste of their first silverware on offer.
The La Liga Champions has been on one of their busiest transfer seasons so far with Arturo Vidal, Malcolm, Clement Lenglet, Arthur Melo all joining the Catalonian giants on big money moves while club legend Iniesta, Alex Vidal, Paulinho are the major exits from the club. WIth Real Madrid now without their talismanic striker Cristiano Ronaldo Barcelona will be hoping for another double sweep of the domestic cup and league titles this year.
Last season was a season to forget for the Andulasian club as they finished 7th in the League. Los Nervionenses has seen one of their better performers last, Clement Lenglet, joining their Spanish Super Cup opponents camp, long time goalkeeper Sergio Rico joining the Premier League on loan and Joaquin Correa joining Juventus while Alex Vidal, Ibrahim Amadou, Joris Gnagnon, Tomas Vaclik, Roque Mesa, Sergi Gomez and Andre Silva joining the club. The Andulasians will be hoping for a better season this time around as they look for Champions League qualification.
Barcelona vs Sevilla: Team News
Lionel Messi is expected to start his first match for Barcelona this season while Arturo Vidal, Arthur Melo and Malcolm expected to make their competitive debut. Ernesto Valverde is expected to be without the injured Denis Suarez and the suspended Sergio Roberto.
New boss Pablo Machin might give Tomas Vaclik and Joris Gnagnon their first taste of La Liga football. Machin may opt to rest a few of his players with the super cup fixture coming in between Sevilla's Europa League qualifiers.
Barcelona vs Sevilla: Probable Line-ups
Barcelona XI: Marc Ter Stegen; Nelson Semedo, Gerard Piqué, Clement Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Arthur Melo, Sergio Busquets, Arturo Vidal; Malcolm, Lionel Messi, Philippe Coutinho
Sevilla XI: Tomas Vaclik; Gabriel Mercado, Simon Kjaer, Joris Gnagnon; Jesus Navas, Roque Mesa, Ever Banega, Sergio Escudero; Pablo Sarabia, Wissam Ben Yedder, Nolito
Match date: 13th August 2018, Monday
Match timing: 01:30 IST
Match venue: Stade Ibn Batouta, Morocco
Barcelona vs Sevilla: Stats
Barcelona and Sevilla will be meeting in the Spanish Super Cup for the 2nd time in 3 years with the Catalonian side winning the 5-0 on aggregate.
This will be the 4th Super Cup appearance in a row and their 8th in the past 9 years for the Spanish giants Barcelona.
Sevilla are yet to defeat the Catalonian giants in their previous matches with the last victory coming in 2014 after they won 2-1 in the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán.
