Barcelona produced a ruthless display to hammer Athletic Club 5-0 in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final at King Abdullah Sport City, Jeddah, extending their winning momentum in Saudi Arabia. The victory underlined the form Hansi Flick’s side have carried into the competition, having already been tipped to extend their strong run against the Basques by SoftFootball earlier this week.
Confidence was high following recent league success, including their hard-fought derby win over Espanyol, a result that showed their growing maturity and control in big moments.
The opening stages hinted at Athletic intent, with early pressure and corners, but Barcelona quickly imposed their authority. Ferran Torres opened the scoring after capitalising on sustained pressure, sparing earlier missed chances by his teammates.
The goal settled Barça, and they began to stretch the game with pace and precision. Fermín López doubled the lead after latching onto a perfectly delivered cross from Raphinha, finishing calmly to leave Unai Simón with no chance.
Barcelona’s dominance became overwhelming before the break. Roony Bardghji added a third after exploiting a defensive lapse, his effort squeezing under Simón to effectively kill the contest.
With Athletic struggling to cope, Raphinha crowned a devastating first-half performance by unleashing a stunning strike into the roof of the net, sending Barcelona into the interval with a commanding four-goal advantage. Rather than slowing the tempo, Flick’s side emerged from halftime with the same intent.
Athletic failed to clear their lines during a prolonged spell of pressure, allowing Raphinha to pounce and fire home his second of the night to make it 5-0 with plenty of time remaining. His brace capped an outstanding display marked by creativity, direct running, and clinical finishing.
Athletic did attempt a late response, but their efforts summed up a frustrating evening. Mikel Jauregizar’s effort was comfortably handled by Joan García, while Unai Gómez wasted a rare clear opening.
Those moments reflected a wider contrast between both sides, as Barcelona continued their remarkable Super Cup record, scoring in every match since the format changed and netting multiple goals once again.
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The emphatic win shared on the club’s official X account books Barcelona’s place in the Spanish Super Cup final, where they will face either Real Madrid or Atlético Madrid. With nine consecutive victories across all competitions, Flick’s team look focused, confident, and firmly set on lifting another trophy in Jeddah.
