Barcelona demonstrated their dominance in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals, overcoming Athletic Bilbao with a 2-0 victory in Jeddah on Wednesday. This win advances them to their third consecutive final.
Gavi opened the scoring in the 17th minute, slipping his shot through the legs of Athletic Bilbao's goalkeeper Unai Simon following a delightful pass from Pedri to Alejandro Balde. Seven minutes after halftime, Lamine Yamal extended Barcelona's lead, capitalizing on his first games back from an ankle injury.
Despite early chances from Barcelona's Raphinha and a strong performance from Athletic Bilbao, the visitors could not find the back of the net. Bilbao's Nico Williams was initially left out of the starting lineup due to fitness concerns but was called into action later, only to see his brother Inaki's attempts thwarted by offside decisions.
Barcelona's robust defense and effective offense ensured their deserved place in the final, where they will face the winners of the upcoming semi-final between Real Madrid and Mallorca on Sunday.
Additionally, Spain's National Sports Council (CSD) has provisionally registered Dani Olmo and Pau Victor for Barcelona, although their inclusion came too late for Wednesday's match against Athletic. The duo will be available for the final decider on Sunday.
Reference(s):
Barcelona into Spanish Super Cup final with 2-0 win over Bilbao
cgtn.com
