Barcelona continued to show their destructive power when they crushed Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals at King Abdullah Sport City (Saudi Arabia). The brightest star is Raphinha. He scored an impressive double, and also made his mark in many other goals, helping Barcelona extend their 9-game winning streak in all competitions.
Bilbao entered the game confidently with three consecutive corner kicks in just the first three minutes. However, Barcelona quickly regained control with a fast, accurate and organized combination play.
Pedri launched the first shot on target, before Fermin Lopez missed a golden opportunity in a one-on-one situation with Unai Simon. However, the Catalan team did not have to wait long to break the deadlock.
In the 17th minute, Fermin redeemed his mistake with a delicate assist, opening up an opportunity for Ferran Torres to shoot low and dangerously, defeating the opponent's goalkeeper.
When the Basque team's defense began to reveal gaps, Barcelona immediately punished. In the 30th minute, Raphinha launched a classy pass for Fermin, who finished neatly with a left-footed shot to increase the score to 2-0.
Just 3 minutes later, Roony Bardghji stirred the right wing before finishing to score. Before the first half ended, Raphinha himself created an explosive moment with a hammer-like shot into the high corner, putting Barcelona into a break with an overwhelming advantage.
After the break, Barca did not slow down at all. In the 50th minute, Raphinha completed a double with a cold finish, sealing a 5-0 victory when the match was still almost halfway.
Bilbao almost completely collapsed. The belated efforts of Jauregizar or Unai Gomez could not beat goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
This victory helps Barcelona maintain their scoring record in all 11 Spanish Super Cup matches in the current format, while continuing to affirm their formidable attacking power under Hansi Flick.
In the opposite direction, Bilbao extended their disappointing streak of form when they only won 1 of their last 6 matches and left the league in great disappointment.
Barca's opponent in the final will be Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid.
