Their victory may not have had the deafening impact Real Madrid’s thumping of Atlético sounded in the tournament’s other semifinal, but with their 3-1 aggregate win over Real Sociedad, Barcelona has achieved the same result. Building on last week’s 2-0 win a the Nou Camp, the reigning Spanish champions got an early goal from Lionel Messi today in San Sebastián, eliminating what little chance La Real had of overturning their first legdeficit. The eventual 1-1 result sets up a third Clasico of the season in April’s Copa del Rey final.
Messi opened the scoring the in the 27th minute with an effort evocative if his pre-injury self. Picking up a ball just inside his own half, Messi carried scrambled all the way to the edge of the Real Sociedad area, navigating a triangle of defenders to get his shot off from 18 yards. While Eñaut Zubikarai was able to get a hand on it, Messi’s slavo had enough behind to still trickle across the goal line, giving the visitors a three-goal lead.
Holding 76 percent of the ball, Barcelona was able to limit their hosts’ chances through possession along, though three minutes before full-time, Sociedad were able to craft a consolation goal. While a diagonal was played to substitute Gonzalo Castro down the left flank. Antoine Griesmann made a run to the top of the area, where Chilean found him 15 yards from goal. One-timing a left-footed blast past Pinto, the France World Cup hopeful ensured his team would avoid one of the indignities bestowed on Atlético. It took nearly 180 minutes, but at least his team managed a goal.
Superficially, the goal gives the impression Barcelona did less against La Real than Real Madrid accomplished against Atlético. In reality, neither tie was ever that close, with only the first 45 minutes of the two-legged affairs providing any hope a final Clasico could be avoided. While Real Madrid certainly deserve extra credit for easing past a team that had been almost unbeatable all year, there’s little more Barcelona could have done against Sociedad besides run up a meaningless score.
That they instead exerted their trademark oppressive, ball-hogging control reignites the debates that have defined the last few years of Spanish soccer. Can the power and prowess that the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale embody subdue the technical dominance Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta bring to the game? Can the might of Sergio Ramos and Pepe hold up against Barcelona’s movement, and will Gerard Piqué and company be able to handle the counterattacks Real’s sure to throw at them?
The next arguments will be made on Mar. 22 at the Bernabéu, with the teams meeting in La Liga. Thanks to today’s result, we’ll now get a third Clasico of the season in April. With Spain’s big two rounding into form, Champions League could very well provide more.
