Barcelona Secures Spot in Super Cup Final with 2-0 Win Over Athletic Club

Barcelona has secured its place in the Spanish Super Cup final for the third consecutive year after a 2-0 victory over Athletic Club in Jeddah on Wednesday. Goals from Gavi and Lamine Yamal ensured that Barcelona advanced past Athletic Bilbao in a well-deserved win. The match showcased Barcelona's dominance in the competition, as they moved one step closer to adding another Super Cup title to their collection.

First Half Dominance

The early moments of the match saw Barcelona come out strong with Raphinha leading the charge. The Brazilian winger first attempted an acrobatic volley that sailed over the bar and then forced Athletic's keeper, Unai Simón, into a solid save with a powerful free-kick. However, Barcelona's early pressure paid off in the 17th minute.

Pedri sent a precise pass to Alejandro Balde, who pulled the ball back for Gavi. The young midfielder was clinical with his finish, slipping his shot through the legs of Simon to give Barcelona the lead. Despite a few more attempts, including a one-on-one opportunity from Raphinha that was saved by Simon, Barcelona couldn’t extend their lead before the break.

Yamal Seals the Victory

The second half saw more of the same from Barcelona. Lamine Yamal, who was returning from an ankle injury, made an immediate impact after the break. He was involved in the build-up to the first goal and added the second for his team. A brilliant pass from Gavi saw Yamal control the ball with ease before calmly slotting it past Simon to make it 2-0.

Athletic Club tried to respond, but Barcelona’s defense was resolute. Wojciech Szczesny, Barcelona’s goalkeeper, made crucial saves to deny Athletic’s Gorka Guruzeta and Iñaki Williams. Despite late efforts from Athletic, including a disallowed goal from Óscar de Marcos and Iñaki Williams, Barcelona held firm and secured the win.

Barcelona's Strength in Super Cup

With 14 Super Cup titles, Barcelona is the most successful club in the competition’s history, and their performance in this semifinal showcased why. The victory also solidified their reputation as a force to be reckoned with in Spanish football.

Barcelona will face the winners of Thursday’s semifinal between Real Madrid and Mallorca in the final on Sunday. The team will be boosted by the return of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor, who were granted provisional registration just before the match against Athletic, though they were unavailable for the semifinal.

Looking Ahead

As Barcelona prepares for the final, manager Hansi Flick expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance. "We deserved to go through today. The team performed well and I am happy with the clean sheet," Flick said after the match.

With momentum on their side and a solid team performance, Barcelona is eyeing another Super Cup trophy. Fans can look forward to what promises to be an exciting final on Sunday.

Reference from:-https://www.espn.com/soccer/report/_/gameId/712533