Barcelona triumphed over their rivals, Athletic Bilbao, securing a 2-0 victory to advance to the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia. The Catalan side approached the match with optimism after the Supreme Sports Council resolved the issue surrounding the registration of Dani Olmo and Pau Victor’s contracts, allowing them to be officially registered.
This victory sends Barcelona to the final, where they will face the winner of the Real Madrid vs. Real Mallorca match, which will be decided later on Thursday evening.
German coach Hansi Flick expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly praising Lamine Yamal and Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny for their standout contributions. Flick credited them for the win, stating, “Without you, the team wouldn’t have won tonight.”
However, despite his joy at reaching the final, Flick voiced frustration over the performance of Lewandowski and Raphinha. The attacking duo missed several easy opportunities that could have resulted in a more convincing scoreline. Flick warned them to improve their performances, especially with the possibility of facing Real Madrid in the final.
In an unexpected turn, Barcelona president Joan Laporta visited the locker room after the match to congratulate Lamine Yamal, urging him to continue developing and bringing titles to the club. However, Laporta did not overlook the underwhelming performances of Lewandowski, Koundé, and Frenkie de Jong, warning Flick against relying on them in the final to avoid disappointing the fans. Koundé struggled at right-back, while de Jong almost cost the team a goal due to a careless mistake, which was only prevented by VAR.
