Alves predicts stronger Barca in Supercup decider

BARCELONA (AFP) - Barcelona's Dani Alves has told Real Madrid to expect a far more fluid display from the champions when the two great rivals meet in the second leg of the Spanish Supercup on Wednesday. Barca looked rusty in Sunday's first leg at the Bernabeu, but still earned a 2-2 draw, with David Villa and Lionel Messi netting in between efforts from Mesut Ozil and Xabi Alonso for Madrid. After four Clasicos at the tail-end of last season and the pair meeting again in the Spanish curtain-raiser, the two sides know each other inside out, but both are looking to gain the upper hand psychologically with victory in the traditional season opener before the more important trophies are contested. The pressure is on Madrid coach Jose Mourinho to topple the Barca hegemony in his second season after the Catalan side won the domestic league and the Champions League in 2010-11. Madrid did beat their bitter rivals in the King's Cup final but it was the least important of the competitions. The clashes last season were dogged by controversy due to bad tackles and poor sportsmanship that left a poor image, and while the challenges were not quite as nasty on Sunday.