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August 19, 2011

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Cesc debuts in Barca's Cup win

LIONEL Messi scored a late winner as Barcelona won its 10th Spanish Supercup with a dramatic 3-2 victory over bitter rival Real Madrid on Wednesday that ended with players from both clubs brawling on the Camp Nou pitch.

Messi volleyed Adriano's cross past Iker Casillas in the 87th minute to finish off a move started by recent arrival Cesc Fabregas, who made his Barcelona debut as a late substitute and helped his new club to a 5-4 win on aggregate in the two-legged series.

Fabregas, who joined from Arsenal on Monday, was given a warm welcome after coming on in the 83rd but was quickly initiated into the ferocious series in the sixth matchup between the clubs since April.

"It's a great moment especially against Real Madrid," Fabregas said.

"It's the biggest derby in the world and I am very happy to be a part of it."

A dramatic, up-tempo match in which Messi scored two goals and Real twice rallied to equalize descended into a scrum in injury time as tensions on the hot, humid night reached a climax after Madrid defender Marcelo's hasty challenge on Fabregas.

After the players and coaching staff were separated and three red cards were brandished, Barcelona lifted its record-equaling third straight Supercup and first in five tries against Madrid.

That gave Pep Guardiola his 11th major piece of silverware, equaling Johan Cruyff as the Catalan club's most successful coach. Guardiola praised his "mythical" players, labeling the victory an "honor" and a "privilege."

"For a preseason game to be played at this level? That was enormous," Guardiola said. "Even when we won 5-0 against them last year I never thought we were so superior. It's always been a very difficult matchup for the history between the clubs."



 

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