First it was the seven of May of 1986 to the Sanchez Pizjuán. Then on May 25, 2019 at the Benito Villamarín. And finally on January 17, 2021 at the La Cartuja stadium. Three different fields in the same city and three defeats, hard to accept, that remain in the history of Barcelona. Only once, in 1925, did the Barça team win a final in this city … And it was in a fourth different stage, the now defunct Reina Victoria stadium and in which they won the Arenas de Getxo. In a very, very distant time …
Nothing, of course, can compare to the defeat of 1986, when Barcelona reached the Champions League final, called the European Cup at the time, to face a Steaua Bucharest that no one gave. credit. They beat the team led by Bernd Schuster and led by Englishman Terry Venables. The clash ended in a penalty shootout and defeat … And without Schuster on the field, replaced by the coach during the second half.
That sporting tragedy dragged Barcelona into its soul until, six years later, the thorn was removed when it won at Wembley at Sampdoria with Koeman’s goal, unforgettable … Although in the books that painful defeat to Sánchez Pizjuán never disappeared, never will.
It did not return to play a end in Seville until many years later, the 25 of May of 2019. The equipment, directed by Valverde, arrived in the heat of depression at that end of the Glass of the King before the Valencia that trained Marcelino García Toral. Although he had won the League, Añino was still suffering from the fall of Anfield, where 18 days before he had been crushed by Liverpool in the Champions League … And Valencia beat Benito Villamarín 2-1. He scored Messi, but failed to equalize the 2-0 with which the rival had advanced.
And the third came. The last collapse in a game in which Barça arrived rearmed in morale but without obvious football with which to overcome the rival. The sensations before the Royal Society were no longer the best. He won the penalty shootout in a semifinal that could fall on either side … And he was seen in a final without the ambition needed to prevail from football.
Barça, suffering badly in defense, did not come out to play with character, trying to minimize the risks and trying to win the final with the minimum or, at least, without biting football.
Another capital match and another stone in Koeman’s path. Defeated by Getafe and Cádiz in collapses without an excuse in sight of the rival, Barça has lost this season against Real Madrid and Atletico in the League, was hit by Juventus in the Champions League and lost in its first final against Athletic … a lot to think about.
Messi wanted to play but failed to lead the team. Neither Pedri nor Dembélé accompanied him, he could not then combine with De Jong due to the pressure of the rival and only the sparks of Griezmann seemed to give him the air necessary to win.
Could Barça win? Certainly. One could even say that Athletic drew by chance in the last sigh … But it must be said that this draw rewarded both the spirit and faith of the lions and punished discouragement and little aggressiveness of Barça.
Sevilla brought bad luck again … And it leaves doubts at the Camp Nou at the worst moment of the season.