The first was on May 7, 1986 in Sánchez Pizjuán. Then on May 25, 2019 at Benito Villamarín. And finally on January 17, 2021 at the La Cartuja Stadium. Three different fields in the same city and three hard to accept defeats that remain in Barcelona’s history. Only once, in 1925, did the Barça team win a final in this city … And it was in another fourth stadium, the now-defunct Reina Victoria Stadium, where they defeated the Arenas de Getxo. In a very, very distant time …
Of course, nothing compares to the defeat of 1986, when Barcelona reached the final of the Champions League, then called the European Cup, to take on a Steaua from Bucharest who no one believed. They surpassed the team led by Bernd Schuster and the Englishman Terry Venables. The game ended in the penalty shoot-out and with a defeat … And without Schuster on the field, he was replaced by the coach during the second half.
That sporting tragedy was dragged into the soul by Barcelona fans until after six years the thorn was removed when they hit Sampdoria at Wembley with Koeman’s goal, unforgettable … Although it never disappeared in the books, it never will, that painful defeat at Sánchez Pizjuán.
It wasn’t until many years later, on May 25, 2019, that he played another final in Seville. The team, led by Valverde, reached that final of the Copa del Rey against Valencia led by Marcelino García Toral in complete depression. Although he had conquered the League, he still dragged the collapse of Anfield where he was crushed by Liverpool in the Champions League 18 days earlier … And Valencia beat him, at Benito Villamarín, 2-1. Messi scored, but was not enough to equalize the 2-0 with which the rival had advanced.
And the third came. The latest collapse in a match in which Barça arrived again armed with morale but no clear football to beat the rival. The feelings against Real Sociedad were no longer the best. He won the penalty shoot-out in a semi-final that could have fallen on either side … And he was seen in a final with no ambition needed to be victorious in football.
Barça, who suffered badly on defense, didn’t come out to play with character, tried to minimize risks and tried to win the final with the minimum or, at least, without biting football.
Another big game and another stone in Koeman’s way. Beaten by Getafe and Cádiz in falls without excuse in the eyes of the opponent, Barça has lost to Real Madrid and Atlético in the league this season, got run over by Juventus in the Champions League and lost in their first final against Athletic … to think about.
Messi wanted to play, but was not enough to lead the team. Neither Pedri nor Dembele accompanied him, he could not combine with De Jong at the time due to the pressure of the rival and only the sparks from Griezmann seemed to give him the necessary air to win.
Can Barça win? Surely. You could even say that Athletic happened to be by chance at the last gasp … But it must be said that this tie rewarded both the courage and faith of the lions and punished the Catalans’ discouragement and little aggression.
Sevilla was jinx again … And it leaves doubts at Camp Nou at the worst moment of the season.