Barcelona completed the Spanish league and cup double with a 3-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the final of the Copa del Rey at the Camp Nou on Saturday evening.
Barcelona dominated the game from start to finish and won their 37th Copa courtesy of a double from Lionel Messi, one of which was a sublime solo goal and an excellent team goal finished by Neymar before Williams got a late consolation for Athletic. The Catalan giants will now look to complete the treble next week when they take on Juventus in the Champions League Final.
The game started at a ferocious pace but neither goalkeeper had much to do in the opening minutes with much of the game being played in the midfield.
Barcelona thought they had took the lead on 10 minutes when Messi played a superb pass behind the Athletic defence which Neymar volleyed home but the assistant flagged straight away for offside to chalk off what had been a lovely finish from Neymar.
Barca had another chance minutes later when Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez combined to give the Uruguayan a clear sight of goal but his low shot was stopped by Iago Herrerin in the Athletic goal.
Messi solo goal
Barcelona did take the lead on 20 minutes and the goal was worth the wait. Messi picked up the ball just inside the Athletic half and set off down the right sideline. Three defenders came across to stop the little Argentine but Messi still managed to cut inside before beating a fourth defender and unleashing a powerful shot low into Iago's bottom left hand corner. It was a truly magnificent goal from the man many consider to be the best player in the world and scoring goals like this will only strengthen that argument.
Barca could have gone two up on 26 minutes when Messi released Suarez down the right. The Uruguayan found Neymar who looked sure to score but Iago got out and managed to stop the Brazilian's shot to keep his team in the game.
Iago saved Athletic again minutes later when Gerard Pique got on the end of a cross into the box and the Spanish goalkeeper made yet another point blank save to keep the game alive.
Neymar had a chance seconds later when he found himself free inside the box but he was unable to hit the target as Iago came flying out and Athletic survived once again.
Neymar finishes superb team goal
Barcelona did double their lead on 36 minutes and this time was a superb team goal. Rakitic played a one two with Messi before finding Suarez who squared the ball to Neymar to tap into an empty goal. The build up was scintillating and Athletic simply had no answer to the quick passing of the Barcelona attack.
Athletic had a chance to pull a goal back on 40 minutes when Inaki Williams got behind the Barcelona defence and attempted to volley past Marc-Andre ter Stegen but the shot was just over the bar and the score remained 2-0.
Barcelona almost got a third just before half time when Suarez was fouled just outside the box. Messi stepped up to take the free kick and his left footed effort was going in but Iago made another superb acrobatic stop to deny the Argentine and ensure the deficit was only two goals at half time.
Barcelona were completely dominant in the first half and the game would have been over as a contest if were not for some superb stops from Iago.
Athletic Bilbao started the second half on the front foot but like the first half neither keeper was worked in the opening ten minutes and the most notable thing to happen was the introduction of Xavi as a substitute in what will be his last ever game at the Nou Camp. Unsurprisingly he received a very warm reception from the Catalan contingent in the crowd.
Seconds later Suarez had a chance to make it 3-0 when the ball broke his way in the penalty box and just as the Uruguayan let his shot go Xabier Etxeita slid in to block the effort.
Messi grabs the third
Barca did get a third goal on 74 minutes and once again Messi was the scorer. Dani Alves played a one two with Neymar down the right before Alves put in what looked like a poor cross. Messi was alert however and nipped in ahead of the Athletic defender who appeared to be waiting on the ball to poke past Iago and all but secure another Copa for Barcelona.
Consolation for Athletic
Athletic pulled a goal back after 80 minutes when Williams got up above Sergio Busquets to flick a header past ter Stegen at the German's left hand post.
Barcelona were almost put under real pressure on 83 minutes when the ball dropped to Ibai Gomez on the penalty spot but he got under his shot and it went well over the bar.
Things got a bit ugly late on as the Athletic Bilbao players reacted badly to an attempted piece of skill from Neymar and one act of retribution led to Barcelona getting a free kick on the left. Xavi stepped up to take it in the dying seconds of his Camp Nou career but there was to be no fairytale ending as the free kick hit the wrong side of the post and went wide.
Barcelona secure the double
That was to be the final action of the match and the referee blew the final whistle seconds later to allow the celebrations to begin in Catalunya as Barcelona added the Copa del Rey to the La Liga title they lifted last weekend.
At the start of the season Barcelona would have been delighted to complete the domestic double but there can be no doubt that they will be desperate to make that double a treble when they take on Italian giants, Juventus in the final of the Champions League. Based on this performance Juventus will have to come up with something spectacular to deny Luis Enrique's side.