Young talents Gavi and Lamine Yamal led Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal on Wednesday, advancing their team to the final. Barcelona played without Dani Olmo, whose license to participate was reinstated too late for this match. Gavi opened the scoring in the 17th minute, converting Alejandro Balde’s assist into a goal. In the second half, Yamal sealed the victory with a calm finish following a well-timed pass from Gavi.
The game took place at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the tournament has been held in recent years. Barcelona’s coach, Hansi Flick, expressed satisfaction with the decision to allow Dani Olmo and Pau Victor to play in future matches. He praised the team’s unity and emphasized their determination to win the competition.
Athletic Bilbao, a physically demanding team, posed challenges, especially towards the end of the game. Inaki Williams and Nico Williams attempted to create opportunities, but two goals were disallowed for offside. Barcelona’s goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny, made crucial saves to deny Athletic’s best attempts.
The Catalans were dominant from the start, with Raphinha testing Athletic’s goalkeeper early on. Gavi’s goal marked his first since recovering from a significant knee injury. Yamal, returning from an ankle issue, showcased sharpness and resilience, converting his chance brilliantly in the 52nd minute. Despite a missed opportunity, Robert Lewandowski also contributed to Barcelona’s control of the match.
Barcelona will now prepare to face either Real Madrid or Mallorca in Sunday’s final, aiming to return home with the trophy.
