Barça hungry for third success

FC Barcelona are seeking to make it three wins from six attempts when they take on Sevilla FC in the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco on Friday.

Traditional opener
The Catalan club have added incentive to complete a third triumph as it would take them to within one success of Real Madrid CF's total of 74 major trophies, having reached 72 with their weekend Spanish Super Cup success against RCD Espanyol. "It's true that when a team is used to winning, playing good football and working in the right conditions it wants to continue doing so," said coach Frank Rijkaard. "This season I want to be proud of my team again. We have the right ingredients to achieve something great again."

Early disappointment
The UEFA Super Cup was not always an event that Barça looked forward to. Qualifying for the first time as holders of the 1979 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, they encountered English side Nottingham Forest FC but succumbed 2-1 on aggregate to Brian Clough's team following a 1-1 second-leg draw at Camp Nou. English opponents proved to be their downfall again in 1982 as Barça, Cup Winners' Cup winners once more, let slip a 1-0 first-leg lead to go down 3-0 after extra time at the Birmingham home of European champions Aston Villa FC.

Milan triumph
Hopes it would be third time lucky were duly dashed when Barça lost the 1989 UEFA Super Cup too, AC Milan their conquerors having built on a 1-1 draw in Spain with a 1-0 success in northern Italy. However, Barcelona's fortunes finally turned when they contested the 1992 edition after lifting their first European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1992. A 1-1 first-leg draw at Werder Bremen's Weserstadion set the Blaugrana up nicely and they collected the trophy with a 2-1 triumph on home soil.

Second success
Landing the Cup Winners' Cup for the fourth and final time in 1997, overcoming Paris Saint-Germain FC 1-0, Barcelona made their most recent UEFA Super Cup appearance the following winter. They won the first leg 2-0 against BV Borussia Dortmund and hung on for a 1-1 draw in Germany to raise the trophy for a second time. European champions again in 2005/06, Barça remain most pundits' tip to prevail in Monaco on Friday.