Barcelona are safely by way of to the ultimate of the 2026 Spanish Super Cup because of a dominant 5-0 win over Athletic Club on Wednesday’s semi-final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Barça had been in full management from begin to end and sealed the victory because of a spectacular first half by which they scored 4 targets and destroyed a helpless Athletic aspect, and the Blaugrana cruised within the ultimate interval and added one other aim to safe the win and advance to the title match, the place they’ll face the winner of Thursday’s semi-final between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.
Reactions & Observations
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The opening 45 minutes felt like watching Flick Ball at its easiest: with Pedri and Frenkie de Jong offering the platform by dominating the midfield, Barça had been completely chic within the first half, with a direct and devastating assault that created massive possibilities from begin to end and had been brutally medical in entrance of aim.
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The whole entrance 4 of Roony Bardghji, Fermín López, Raphinha and Ferran Torres had been unplayable and couldn’t be contained by a helpless Athletic protection, and all 4 discovered the web. Fermín’s wonderful end after an excellent cross by Raphinha and an outrageous aim by the Brazilian with a improbable strike into the roof of the web had been the large highlights, whereas Unai Simón’s howler that led to Roony’s aim definitely won’t assist the Athletic keeper’s standing as Spain’s primary.
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Barça solely conceded one likelihood when the sport was already over a 4-0 as Oihan Sancet hit the put up, however that was the one spotlight of a horrific efficiency from an Athletic aspect that fairly frankly didn’t appear to be they needed to be enjoying on this sport.
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The sport was properly and really executed with the 4-0 at halftime, and it might have simply been 5 or 6 given the extent of Barça’s efficiency and the standard of their possibilities. Seriously, that first half was wonderful to look at.
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Barça’s dominance continued early within the second half, and Raphinha scored his second of the evening after a scramble within the field to make it 5-0. Ernesto Valverde made all 5 substitutions to relaxation a few of his foremost starters proper after the aim, and Athletic had been formally executed for the evening.
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Hansi Flick additionally took the prospect to relaxation some foremost gamers on the hour mark as Balde, Raphinha and De Jong had been changed by Martín, Rashford and Bernal. Pedri and Roony had been changed by Rashford and Lamine Yamal with 20 minutes to go, and Barça appeared for a cushty end to the sport.
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But the Blaugrana relaxed a bit of an excessive amount of with the sport properly and really over and conceded a few possibilities, however Athletic weren’t capable of capitalize and Unai Gómez had a really unhealthy miss one-on-one with Joan Garcia in what was the most effective likelihood of the sport for the Basques.
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The ultimate whistle got here to finish an exquisite evening for Barça, who had been sensational within the first half and appeared each bit like the most effective model of Flick Ball we’ve seen because the German took cost 18 months in the past. Athletic had been horrible on the evening, it should be stated, however Barça made them look unhealthy with their dominance and are trying sturdy forward of Sunday’s Final. Well executed, boys!