Barcelona clinch Club World Cup

Barcelona celebrate

Barcelona won their fifth trophy of 2015 after clinching the Fifa Club World Cup for a third time with a comprehensive victory over River Plate.

River could not cope with Barca’s Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Messi scored the opener after returning from a kidney problem when he controlled Neymar’s pass to finish.

Suarez latched onto Sergio Busquets’ brilliant ball over the top to double their lead and then added his second with a header from Neymar’s cross.

Uruguay striker Suarez finished the tournament with five goals in two games after scoring a hat-trick in the 3-0 semi-final win over Guangzhou Evergrande.

Barcelona complete memorable trophy haul

Barcelona celebrate

Luis Enrique won the treble last season – his first campaign as Barcelona boss

Less than a year ago Luis Enrique was reported to be on the verge of being sacked, but the club’s board stuck by him and since then they have won five of the six possible trophies 2015 had to offer.

Only a Spanish Super Cup defeat by Athletic Bilbao denied them the chance to match the 2009 sextuple under Pep Guardiola.

They are top of La Liga for now [on goal difference from Atletico Madrid, who play later on Sunday], and in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey and Champions League – as they bid to do it all again in 2016.

Barcelona have scored 176 goals this year – a new club record. They have one final game to add to it – at home to Real Betis in the league on 30 December.

Barcelona strike force in electric form

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi has scored in all six club competitions in a year – for the second time in his career (2011)

River Plate started quite brightly in the Yokohama International Stadium. But once Barca’s front three got going, they had no hope.

Messi and Neymar both missed the semi-final with fitness problems, but Suarez had ensured they were not missed with his semi-final treble.

But with the three players reunited and in top form, no club in the world can handle them.

For their opener Neymar and Messi both had roles in the build-up before the Brazilian found his Argentine colleague to fire home the opener.

Suarez added a second from Busquets’ excellent long ball and then headed home Neymar’s excellent cross for his second.

Both tried to play in Neymar for a goal of his own, but he will still be happy with his goal-free performance – having lost in the 2011 final to Barca while at Santos.

Lineup, Bookings (6) & Substitutions (6)

River Plate

  • 01 Barovero
  • 25 Mercado
  • 02 Maidana
  • 03 Balanta
  • 21 Vangioni
  • 05 Kranevitter Booked
  • 08 Sánchez
  • 19 Viudez (Driussi – 56′ )
  • 23 Ponzio Booked (Lucho – 45′ )
  • 07 Mora (Martínez – 45′ )
  • 13 Alario

Substitutes

  • 06 Vega
  • 10 Martínez
  • 11 Saviola
  • 12 Batalla
  • 15 Pisculichi
  • 16 Bertolo
  • 18 Mayada
  • 20 Casco
  • 22 Driussi
  • 24 Mammana
  • 26 Chiarini
  • 27 Lucho

Barcelona

  • 13 Bravo
  • 06 Dani Alves
  • 03 Piqué
  • 14 Mascherano (Vermaelen – 81′ )
  • 18 Alba Booked
  • 04 Rakitic Booked (Sergi – 67′ Booked )
  • 05 Busquets
  • 08 Iniesta
  • 10 Messi
  • 09 Suárez
  • 11 Neymar Booked (Mathieu – 89′ )

Substitutes

  • 01 ter Stegen
  • 15 Bartra
  • 17 El Haddadi
  • 19 Ramírez
  • 20 Sergi
  • 21 Adriano
  • 23 Vermaelen
  • 24 Mathieu
  • 25 Masip
  • 26 Samper
  • 28 Gumbau
Ref: Alireza Faghani
Att: 66,853

Match Stats

Possession64%36%90minsRiver PlateBarcelona

Shots

9 16

On target

5 9

Corners

6 2

Fouls

21 13

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, River Plate 0, Barcelona 3.

90:00 +3:10 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, River Plate 0, Barcelona 3.

90:00 +3:03 Attempt blocked. Sebastián Driussi (River Plate) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Leonel Vangioni.

90:00 +2:45 Foul by Luis Suárez (Barcelona).

90:00 +2:45 Eder Balanta (River Plate) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

90:00 +2:00 Claudio Bravo (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

90:00 +2:00 Foul by Lucas Alario (River Plate).

90:00 +1:13 Jeremy Mathieu (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the left wing.

90:00 +1:13 Foul by Gabriel Mercado (River Plate).

90:00 +1:01 Attempt saved. Carlos Sánchez (River Plate) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Gonzalo Martínez.

89:44Attempt blocked. Leonel Vangioni (River Plate) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Matías Kranevitter.

88:49Foul by Dani Alves (Barcelona).

88:49Gonzalo Martínez (River Plate) wins a free kick on the left wing.

88:32 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Barcelona. Jeremy Mathieu replaces Neymar.

83:54Offside, River Plate. Leonel Vangioni tries a through ball, but Lucho González is caught offside.

83:01Attempt saved. Gonzalo Martínez (River Plate) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.

82:34Attempt missed. Lucas Alario (River Plate) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Gonzalo Martínez with a cross following a corner.

82:08Corner, River Plate. Conceded by Sergio Busquets.

81:16Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

81:16Foul by Sebastián Driussi (River Plate).

BBC Sport

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*