Barcelona beat Sevilla in Super Cup first leg with Suarez, Munir goals

Luis Suarez was back in the goal-scoring routine as Barcelona claimed a Spanish Super Cup advantage with a 2-0 victory away to Sevilla.

Suarez, who scored 59 goals for Barca last season, opened his account for the new campaign early in the second half and substitute Munir added a second nine minutes from time.

The breakthrough came when substitute Denis Suarez picked out the run of Arda Turan with a delightful flighted pass and a controlled chest down from the Turkey international allowed the Uruguayan striker to pick his spot from 12 yards.

Barcelona were far better after the break and Munir scored with his first touch as he burst onto Lionel Messi's measured pass.

Barca are firmly in the driving seat ahead of Wednesday's second leg at the Nou Camp -- victory easing the painful memories of the 5-1 aggregate defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup 12 months ago.

The game had been put back 24 hours to allow Sevilla extra time to recover from the effects of their 3-2 UEFA Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid in Norway on Tuesday night.

Lionel Messi vies for the ball during Barcelona's 2-0 Spanish Super Cup first leg win versus Sevilla.
Lionel Messi vies for the ball during Barcelona's 2-0 Spanish Super Cup first leg win versus Sevilla.
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Former Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli was in charge of Sevilla for the first time at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, but with so many arrivals and departures in southern Spain this summer his side will inevitably take time to gel.

Sevilla dictated the tempo of the first period without causing Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo any alarms.

Barcelona were vulnerable down the flanks but Sevilla's final ball was often wayward and lacking quality.

The visitors should have been ahead after six minutes when Sergio Busquets freed Luis Suarez in a central position 18 yards out.

Suarez struck the ball well but Sergio Rico's smart save low to his right kept him out.

Barcelona's rhythm was not helped by the loss of Jeremy Mathieu and Andres Iniesta to first-half injuries.

French defender Mathieu suffered a hamstring injury and skipper Iniesta hobbled off after a heavy challenge from Mariano.

Early reports suggest Iniesta has a bruised right knee and will have further tests on Monday to reveal the extent of the injury.

Their departures were added concern for Barcelona coach Luis Enrique ahead of his side's opening Primera Division game against Real Betis on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and full-back Jordi Alba are already nursing knocks and Brazil pair Neymar and Rafinha are away on international duty at the Rio Olympics.

Sevilla, however, could not capitalise on Barcelona's problems and were short of attacking ideas.

Vitolo saw his shot deflected over the crossbar close to half-time and that was as good as it got for Sevilla.