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Lionel Messi

Barcelona warmed up for the new season by lifting the European Super Cup as Pedro’s extra-time goal earned them a 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.
The substitute played a one-two with Lionel Messi and slotted home five minutes before the end of the game.
It was an uninspiring contest on a pitch that cut up badly at the Stade Louis II in Monaco and both teams struggled to create opportunities, BBC said.
Julius Aghahowa forced Victor Valdes to save, but Shakhtar rarely threatened.
Barca, who became the first team to win the treble of Champions League, La Liga and Spanish Cup last season, opens their league campaign on Monday against Sporting Gijon.
They fielded summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front, but the £60m Swedish striker had a quiet start to his Barca career in a disjointed match on a poor pitch in the principality.
The Catalans--missing the injured Andres Iniesta--struggled to find their rhythm as passes uncharacteristically went astray on a regular basis.
UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar were content to contain and offered little in the way of an attacking threat, with striker Luiz Adriano starved of possession.
Barca thought they should have had a penalty just before the break when Messi’s free-kick appeared to strike an arm, but referee Frank De Bleeckere waved away their appeals.

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