Athletic Bilbao 4-0 FC Barcelona: Five talking points

FC Barcelona was shocked in the 1st leg of the Spanish cup by Athletic BilbaoAthletic have started their season with a sweet revenge against the mighty treble winners of last season FC Barcelona as they thrashed the Blaugranas 4-0 at the San Mames. The Basque side brushed aside a competent Barca side with unbelievable ease as a hat-trick from veteran striker Aritz Aduriz and a wonder goal from Mikel San Jose proved too hot for Barcelona to handle.This was Bilbao's first victory over their La Liga rivals since 2006 and what a way to break their nine-year drought. The Spanish and defending European champions were clearly outmuscled and humiliated in all departments by Los Leones. Here are the five talking points from the exciting first leg of Supercopa de Espana.

#5 Mikel San Jose and Aritz Aduriz run the show

Bilbao’s fairytale began with a sublime strike by Mikel San Jose. He scored a volley from 50 yards out to the goal. The home team was slowly recuperating from a bright start by the Spanish champions as this strike really turned the tide in the hosts’ favour. San Jose has scored what is probably going to be one of the contenders for the goal of the season.

Aritz Aduriz is like a wine. He is getting better with age. Last season, he scored 26 goals in all competitons for the Ernesto Valverde’s side. And now he has begun his new season with a stunning hat-trick against a formidable Barcelona side. Aduriz singlehandedly inflicted a excruciating defeat to Luis Enrique’s all conquering side.

The first two goals by the Basque forward were the true testament to his poaching abilities inside the 15 yard box as he punished the callous attitude of Barcelona defenders every time. He rounded off his hat-trick with cool penalty as he outfoxed Barcelona’s German custodian Marc Andre ter Stegen.

Although the headlines will be grabbed by the Bilbao’s 34 year old marksman, it would be foolish to discount the impact of San Jose’s wondergoal in this drubbing by the Athletic.

#4 Athletic wins hearts and the match

Just over a year ago, Athletic was drubbed 5-0 by the familiar looking Barcelona side at the very same venue in their La Liga fixture. Los Leones have returned the favour with suitable interest as they drub, arguably the best team in Europe, 4-0 in a Super Copa tie.

The Basque side clearly outplayed Barcelona in all the three departments as their effective counter-pressing tactic. The visitors were made to rush through their every move by the Valverde’s men as they barely gave anytime on the ball to their illustrious guests. Apart from the heroics from Aduriz and San Jose, the two most striking features of this Athletic win were the Aymeric Laporte led defense and their midfield.

Laporte proved today why Athletic rate him so highly as he kept a striker as mercurial as Luis Suarez at bay with comfortable ease. The young Frenchman led his defence with enough bite as they unsettled Barca’s twinkling attack led by Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. Coming to Messi, the Argentine was barely in his elements and he was kept quiet by the heroics of Oscar de Marcos. The versatile defender gave a torrid time to Messi on the flanks throughout the 90 minutes.

Benat and San Jose provided the required steel and verve to this Athletic midfield. Barcelona’s midfield was nowhere to be seen in the game till the introduction of Andres Iniesta. And the credit for that goes to the Bilbao duo, who relentlessly worked for their team’s cause.

Athletic not only won the game handsomely but also won the hearts of every fan who truly loves the beautiful game.

#3 Sergi flatters to deceive

Filling into the legendary shoes of Xavi Hernandez is never easy. And Barca’s midfield prodigy, Sergi Roberto, learned this lesson the hard way as he had a rough welcome to the competitive football at San Mames. Sergi was a surprise starter in this fixture and he surely disappointed one and all including his manager.

The 23-year-old midfielder has been entrusted the job of being the pass master of this Barcelona midfield alongside Rafinha and Javier Mascherano. Luis Enrique has shown faith in the abilities of the La Masia graduate, which has seen him play a pivotal role in the Barcelona midfield throughout the pre-season.

Tonight was a forgettable day for the Spaniard as he bullied into submission by the Athletic midfield led by Bernat. Sergi failed to impose himself in the game at any level whatsoever. He not only struggled to make an impact in the attacking third but also failed to provide adequate cover to his fellow midfielders, as his positional sense in today’s game was questionable, to say the least.

#2 Barca\'s defensive woes

A lot has been said and done about the frailty of Barcelona’s defense this pre-season. Throughout the American tour, their defense looked shaky as they struggled to keep clean sheets against quality sides. It seems their pre-season ruggedness has been carried forward into the early season as well.

Last week, it was in the European Supercup where they shipped four against a spirited Sevilla side and if not for Messi and Pedro’s heroics they would have been smashed left, right and centre by the Seville side. Tonight the story was no different. A new look defense consisting of Marc Bartra and Thomas Vermaelen in the heart of defense has punctured this flawless Barcelona machine as the duo look more unconvincing with every progressing minute.

The Azulgrana defense was split open at will by the hosts as they ran riot for major chunk of the 90 minutes. Marc Andre Ter Stegen failed to show any decisiveness behind a shaky back four and rarely looked commanding. Adriano and Dani Alves were exposed by the Bilbao wide men who caught the two fullbacks napping most of the times, as they hit them on the counter.

It is pretty shambolic for a team who just under a year ago, chased the record of most consecutive clean sheets in Spanish and European football.

#1 Luis Enrique\'s gamble backfires

Luis Enrique has had a smooth sailing as the manager of Barcelona since took over the reigns of the club last season. Barring a few hiccups, the former Catalan hero has experienced a successful and unchallenged tenure at Camp Nou.

Tonight, he baffled one and all with his team selection as he rolled out a substantially moderate Barcelona side against Bilbao in a Super Copa tie. A midfield of Mascherano, Rafinha and Sergi is unlikely to be played in a game of such a magnitude, that too in an away leg. Starting, Bartra and Vermaelen as centre-halves was another decision worth debating, especially after Bartra had an awful game against Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup.

The former Roma manager tried to gamble by infusing youth in critical positions, which backfired very heavily at him. It is admirable to infuse youth into the side, but if such an injection is never worth it if it disrupts the balance of the side.

Playing a wantaway player in Pedro too is a decision which is questionable. A game where the club’s prestige is at the stake it was a baffling lineup to roll out against a formidable team like Athletic Bilbao, that too in their own den.

It seems that Mr. Enrique still has some preseason hangover where he tinkered a lot with his side and the formation. If one close shave and this excruciating defeat don’t serve the wakeup call then surely, the bells of doom might start tolling for him in Catalonia.