It’s important to know how to compete in a final. On Sunday,
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Barcelona didn’t know how to, and their mistakes condemned them to defeat against Athletic Club.They did the most difficult thing,
which was to get ahead twice in a very close match in which there were very few chances, but they blew their lead twice in the 90 minutes and lost in extra time.
Their first lead barely lasted 93 seconds. Antoine Griezmann put them ahead in the 41st minute, but Athletic equalised on their next attack, making the most of a Jordi Alba mistake.
Griezmann restored their lead in the second half, but Athletic levelled late on.
But Barcelona were left frustrated with the manner in which the goals came. Raul Garcia had a 60th-minute goal ruled out,
having turned in a set piece, and the Catalans didn’t learn.Things couldn’t have ended worse with Lionel Messi’s sending off,
which was another thing that didn’t help their cause or his continuation at the club.What could have been a turning point for the club could prove to be the opposite.
