BARCELONA: Lionel Messi scored two second half goals as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to lift the Spanish Supercup on Sunday.

Substitute Bojan Krkic also scored as the Catalans secured their eighth Supercup 5-1 on aggregate to take the first of six trophies they are competing for following a historic treble-winning campaign last season. Messi ran onto Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s pass in the 50th minute, moved around a defender and then chipped goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz for his first goal before scoring a penalty in the 68th. Krkic rounded out the scoreline just a minute after replacing Ibrahimovic, who made his competitive debut after arriving from Inter Milan. The teenage striker seized on an Athletic turnover in the 72nd to walk the ball into goal.

Barcelona dominated possession just as it did at

the San Mames, with Messi and Ibrahimovic beginning to

strike up an understanding that coach Pep Guardiola is

hoping will lead the Catalans to further glory this season. The Catalan club are also playing Shakhtar Donetsk for the European Supercup on Friday and will try for the Club World Cup in December.

Goalkeeper Iraizoz kept the Basques in it through the first half with a number of key saves beginning in the 25th minute when Messi let fly with a quick strike from the right side. Yaya Toure dribbled free along the goal line to find Seydou Keita with a center in the 33rd only for the Mali midfielder to trip over with only Iraizoz to beat.

Soon after denying Gerard Pique, Iraizoz stopped an

acrobatic volley from Ibrahimovic after Messi had found the Sweden striker alone in front of goal. Messi later stepped up to score a penalty after Ustaritz Aldekoaotalora was adjudged to have brought down Daniel Alves inside the box. Pablo Orbaiz’s long-range free kick was Athletic’s sole chance as they came to the Camp Nou trying to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg.

Italian Serie A

Rome: Defending champions Inter Milan were held to a surprise 1-1 draw at home to promoted Bari at the San Siro in their first match of the new Serie A season on Sunday.

But rivals Juventus got off

to a winning start as Vincenzo Iaquinta scored the only goal

in a 1-0 home success

against Chievo.

Cameroon forward Samuel Eto’o scored his first goal for Inter since joining from Barcelona in a swap deal that saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic head to Spain, but Vitaly Kutuzov’s equaliser earned the plucky Serie A newboys a deserved share of the spoils.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho picked new signings Eto’o and Diego Milito up front together but they could not fire the champions to victory.

Inter were creating little in the early stages and survived a scare at the other end when France captain Patrick Vieira’s clumsy challenge brought down Riccardo Allegretti right on the edge of the box. Allegretti curled the free-kick over the wall but Julio Cesar was quickly across his line to make the save.

Mourinho switched things around before the half hour

was even up, bringing on

Mario Balotelli for Sulley Muntari and changed the

formation. Another new signing Thiago Motta shot inches wide from just outside the area but Inter centre-backs Lucio and Marco Materazzi got in each other’s way to allow Kutuzov a run clean through on goal, only for the Belarus international to tread on the ball and lose momentum.

Mourinho changed things again at the break, bringing winger Ricardo Quaresma on for his defensive midfielder Vieira. The move was soon to pay dividends, although in controversial fashion as Milito slumped to the ground in the box from what seemed to be minimal contact.

The referee pointed to the penalty spot and Eto’o easily opened his account in Italian football. He should have had a second on 67 minutes when Milito teed him up inside the box but with only goalkeeper Jean-Francois Gillet to beat the former Barcelona man dragged his shot hopelessly wide.

They were made to pay for the missed opportunity on 74 minutes following a defensive blunder from Lucio, who charged out of position to try to make an interception, only to leave a gaping hole for Kutuzov to shoot past Cesar.

In Turin, Iaquinta gave Juve an 11th minute lead when he rose highest to brilliantly head home a free-kick from debutant Diego. In other games Parma were denied a winning return to Serie A as an Antonio Di Natale brace earned Udinese a 2-2 draw. Also, Giuseppe Biava scored seven minutes from time to give Genoa a 3-2 victory over AS Roma.