Barcelona have sealed a spot in the Spanish Supercopa final. With a comfortable 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao at the King Abdullah International Stadium in Saudi Arabia, the Catalans once again proved why they reign supreme in this competition. Goals from Gavi and Lamine Yamal sealed their spot in the final with a performance that combined control, youthful talent, and experience just where it mattered. On Sunday, Barça will go up against the winner of the Real Madrid vs. Mallorca match in their quest to extend the record to 15 titles in the competition.
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A commanding performance from start to finish
From the first whistle, Barcelona meant business. For large periods of the first half, Hansi Flick's side showed patience and intelligence to cut Bilbao's defense open. The goal by Gavi was a result of that superiority. The youngster took advantage of a loose ball inside the box and finished with poise to again underline the quality of Barça's youth academy.
The stats said it all: seven shots for Barça compared to none for their opponents before Gavi’s strike. Yet, Bilbao didn’t go down without a fight. Toward the end of the first half, they pushed back and came close to equalizing, but Barça’s well-organized defense kept them at bay.
In the second half, Barcelona did not waste any time. Just inside six minutes of action, Lamine Yamal, back from his injury, shone bright. The young forward turned smoothly on his marker and fired a shot past Unai Simón with elegance and precision. At 2-0, Barça shifted to game management, controlling the tempo and not allowing Bilbao even a single chance of a comeback.
Return everyone was waiting for
And in case it put any doubts out there, that injury layoff by Lamine Yamal was very well erased. A month off the pitch owing to an ankle sprain, the 17-year-old proved more than ready for the big stage.
Hansi Flick was full of praise for the prodigy: “I’m so happy he came back with such a great performance. He’s got so much quality and works really hard for the team.” For a coach managing a youthful squad packed with potential, having players like Yamal available is both a relief and a valuable asset for the challenges ahead.
Leading with focus and composure
Hansi Flick pointed out that reaching the final was important, as was not having to concede a goal: "We're in the final, and that's exactly what we wanted. We're also happy with the clean sheet. We put in a very good performance."
Relief also at news that Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor were able to play after having their licenses reinstated.
"We found out on the bus on our way to the game. I'm really happy for the two of them. The whole team is. We wanted to show we're a tightknit group and win it for them too."
Flick said something about the balance of youth and experience within his team. So many of those players may be young, but having been thrown into the deep end - big tournaments like the Euros and the Champions League - have toughened them up for these vital moments. At the same time, he knows there's room for improvement, as he believes in the players, their abilities.
Pressure of history, 15th title at stake
Barcelona is the most successful team in Spanish Supercopa history, with a title count of 14. What was once no more than a pre-season warm-up competition has grown to be one of the major events within Spanish soccer. Ever since their first title in 1983, Barça have shared a special relationship with the tournament. Now, with an opportunity to further solidify this dominance, the motivation is sky-high.
In that respect, the closest competitor behind is Real Madrid, with a record 13 titles; this also builds up further anticipation of the probability of a clásico in the final.