Barcelona top Sevilla in UEFA Super Cup thriller!

FC Barcelona are champions of the 2015 UEFA Super Cup after a thrilling 5-4 victory over Sevilla on Tuesday evening at the Dinamo Arena in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Pedro was the hero for the 2014-15 Champions League title holders, as he came on as a substitute to score the winner with just five minutes left in extra time. The goal is likely the Canarian's last for the club, with him rumored to be joining Manchester United this week.

With Neymar sidelined with the mumps, Barcelona manager Luis Enrique opted to insert Rafinha into the attacking trident along with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. The trusted trio of Andrés Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets formed the middle, while in the back goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was protected by a back four of Dani Alves, Gerard Piqué, Javier Mascherano and Jeremy Mathieu.

Sevilla boss Unai Emery countered with Beto in goal and a back four of Coke, Adil Ramí, Grzegorz Krychowiak and Benoit Tremoulinas. Ever Banega and Michael Krohn-Dehli anchored in as holding midfielders, while Vicente Iborra, José Antonio Reyes and Vitolo composed the attack in support of lone striker Kevin Gamiero.

Sevilla were quick out of the gates, and were up 1-0 inside the first five minutes as a Banega free kick gave the Andalusians the lead. It came as a result of a Mascherano foul on Reyes and Sevilla's Argentine midfielder stepped forward and delivered a curling right-footer that stunned Ter Stegen.
That was all Barcelona needed to get kick-started, and just three minutes later the Catalonians were celebrating thanks to a Messi free kick. From an almost similar distance as Banega's effort, La Pulga looped in a left-footer that spun right past Beto and into the net to make it 1-1.

On 15 minutes Messi mustered up more magic and again fired in a left-footed free kick, this time from slightly deeper, to hand Barcelona a 2-1 lead. Thirteen minutes later Barcelona thought that they had increased their lead to two goals through Suárez, but the Uruguayan was whistled for offside. Replays showed that the forward was in fact onside.

Sevilla then nearly equalized thanks to some fancy footwork from Vitolo on the right side, but his ball across was cleared by Alves before it could trickle over the line. The back and forth would continue and two minutes before the break Barcelona would get their third goal courtesy of Rafinha. It all started with a Suárez break, but the former Liverpool was unable to finish past Beto. However, Suárez was able to collect the rebound and found an onrushing Rafinha who poked it home to give Barcelona the 3-1 lead.

Barcelona kept the scoring exploits going into the second half, and a defensive error from Sevilla allowed an ocean of space for Busquets to find Suárez and the Uruguayan had an easy sweep into net to make it 4-1 in the 52nd minute.

Sevilla started to make inroads and halved the margin in the 57th minute when Reyes fired in at the far post a superb Vitolo cross from the left after Mathieu had drifted in too far inside, giving the veteran winger all the time and space to slot past Ter Stegen.

Things became even more interesting in the 71st minute when Mathieu was whistled for a penalty for a takedown of Vitolo in the area right as the former Las Palmas man looked to be heading in a Tremoulinas cross from the left. Gameiro stepped up to take the spot kick and slammed his effort past Ter Stegen to make it a 4-3 game.

The improbable then happened in the 81st minute when two Sevilla substitutes, both new players who arrived over the summer, teamed up to draw Emery's men level 4-4. Ciro Immobile found room on the right and his cross was met by Yevhen Konoplynka at the far post for Sevilla's third straight goal.

A winner was not to be had in the match's final moments, so it was off to extra time to try to settle matters. The pace of the affair slowed during the additional 30 minutes, with both teams still fighting the effects of a first official match following preseason, combined with the humidity in the Georgian capital.

Yet a dramatic finale was in store as Pedro, who is strongly rumored to be headed to Manchester United this week, scored the winner in the 115th minute. A Messi free kick was blocked by the Sevilla wall, seemingly by the hand of Vitolo, and the follow up shot from the Argentine required a diving save from Beto. However, the Sevilla goalkeeper was only able to deflect it to his right and Pedro was there to pounce and thunder the ball into the net to give Barcelona the 5-4 lead.
Amazingly, Sevilla had one last shout when Immobile crossed for Rami, but the former Milan defender had the ball strike his knee and carom wide, much to the disbelief of Emery. Barcelona would then avoid any further late scares to clinch their fourth title of 2015.

How does Coach Luis Enrique look at the current FC Barcelona's Squad Form?

Luis Enrique has insisted he is counting on the Spanish striker Pedro for the new season which gets underway next Tuesday.

"Pedro is a world-class player. He's shown how good he is for both club and country. Speaking as a coach, I want him to stay. Nothing has changed. Any changes will be dictated by him".

"The players know exactly what they have to do to counteract any imbalances at the back".

What if Pedro leaves and there are injuries up front?

 "I don't like looking at 'what ifs' especially when they're on a negative note. I prefer to think that things will carry on as usual. We're ready to deal with any situation that may arise during the coming season".

On Mascherano as captain number four:  "There are other players who could captain the side, but was chosen by the players and that's how I like it. There are other players who, without being captains, have a voice inside the dressing room".

On the goalkeeping debate:

"I haven't decided who will play in the finals. However, our members can rest assured that a world-class keeper will start in goal for Barça".

On Suárez's form:

 No player in the world is at his very best at this point in pre-season. It would be wrong for either player or coach to think anything else. It's just that some players are lighter or younger - not in Luis's case - and they arrive in better shape for pre-season. Suárez has the added motivation this season that he'll be available from the very first game".

Pedro could play his last Barça game before Man United move

The Joan Gamper trophy could be a more emotional affair than usual, this season. Pedro is very close to leaving Barça and the friendly match which signals the start of the official season could be an opportunity for goodbyes from the Tenerife-born forward. Negotiations are continuing between Barcelona and Manchester United. Pedro will say goodbye to Barça after 11 seasons at the Blaugrana, spending eight of them with the first team. Pedro will give his farewells at home and in front of his supporters at Camp Nou, who will see him continue to fight for the club colours.

The forward has been a fundamental part of one of the most prolific periods of Barça's history in terms of titles. Pedro has won 19 trophies: three Champions Leagues, five La Ligas, two Club World Cups, three Copa del Reys, two European Super Cups and four Spanish Super Cups. He has also won the third division while with Barça B, three Copa Catalunyas and the greatest honours with the Spanish national team: the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2012 European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.

He will attempt to start a new stage in his career at Old Trafford. The agreement between Barça and Manchester United for the transfer of Pedro is merely days away. Red Devils' director Ed Woodward will arrive in Barcelona during the coming week and if he opts to take a plane it isn't for his holidays. Woodward was the man who advised the Glazer family to purchase ownership of Manchester United back in 2005. When the former general director decided to retire in 2013, the North American investors decided to offer him the job.

Woodward has helped to secure one of the huge sponsorships that Manchester United have sealed recently, Chevrolet, which will bring in 71 million per year as a shirt sponsor, and Adidas, who will give no less than one thousand million over the next 10 seasons. Due to this, Woodward has the confidence of the Glazers and when he gets involved it is to close a deal.

The negotiations have continued progressing in recent days and Manchester United have offered a proposal of close to 30 million euros, which is required to prise one of Barça's most valuable players away from them. Currently, there could be a fixed fee of between 26-28 million euros, plus four to six million in add-ons. In total, it will make up the 30 million required to press ahead with the deal. The discussions are now centred on further conditions. Barça want them to be based on individual targets for games and minutes played, which will be easier to secure, while Man United want them to be related to title wins.

Pedro remains in contact with both clubs. The player has already reached an agreement with the Red Devils that is better than his recently renewed Barça contract. The club extended his deal for four seasons, in order to command a larger fee. Man United have surpassed this contract in both duration and financially. If the negotiations keep going well, Pedro will play at Old Trafford for the next five seasons and will earn five million euros net per year. The player is only waiting for Barça and Man United to make an agreement official, in order to catch a plane to England.

The transfer will satisfy all parties. Barça will take in some important money that they need, while Pedro will gain the squad importance that he has lost at Camp Nou during the last two seasons. The Tenerife-born forward has been asked for personally by Louis Van Gaal and due to this should have a starting berth. Is everyone happy? No. Away from the Blaugrana fans wanting for Pedro to retire at Camp Nou, Luis Enrique believes that his departure will weaken his squad, who can't enter the market to find someone of the same quality.

Lucho has done everything in his power this summer to slow down his exit. He has tried to convince the player to stay and asked the club to block his departure. What can't be avoided, is that he will go if a club pay his release clause, which is the case with Man United. The Asturian coach wanted to rely on Pedro for the European Super Cup. Lucho is obsessed with winning all six trophies this season and Pedro approaches the game in better fitness than, say, Neymar. Luis Enrique has a lot of respect for Sevilla and knows that it will be a tough game, but Pedro could have a leading role. However, the Gamper against Roma could be Pedro's last Blaugrana game.