Barcelona 2-0 Athletic (Jan 8, 2025) Game Analysis ESPN

Goals from Gavi and Lamine Yamal earned Barcelona a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal in Jeddah on Wednesday to reach their third successive final.

Gavi opened the scoring in the 17th minute and Yamal doubled Barca's lead seven minutes after the break.

Barcelona, the most successful Super Cup side with 14 trophies, will face the winners of Thursday's semifinal between holders Real Madrid and Mallorca in the final on Sunday.

The earliest chances fell to Barcelona's Raphinha, who first acrobatically volleyed over and then struck a powerful free kick which keeper Unai Simón parried away, but Barca were soon rewarded for their early onslaught.

Pedri played a pass to Alejandro Balde wide in the area who pulled the ball back across to Gavi, and from just outside the six-yard box he slipped his shot through the legs of Simon.

Barca could have doubled their lead but Raphinha hit his shot straight at the keeper when put through on a one-on-one by Yamal, and Athletic finally began to create opportunities of their own.

Wojciech Szczesny got down to stop a low cross from Yuri Berchiche with Gorka Guruzeta waiting in front of goal for what would have been a simple tap-in, and the Barcelona keeper then denied Iñaki Williams just before the break.

Lamal missed the last two games with an ankle injury but his performance showed why manager Hansi Flick risked the winger from the start.

"He was coming back from an injury. We had to change. 60 minutes or 65 we had to change, it was totally clear," Flick said after the game. "I am very happy, so we are looking for the 2-0 victory, this is very good for us. We are in the final, this is our goal. We are happy also that we have a clean sheet.

"The team performed well and I'm happy. We deserved to go through today."

Gavi turned provider with a delightful pass played forward which Lamal controlled beautifully on the turn before taking the ball into the area and coolly driving his shot past Simon.

Athletic had left a not fully fit Nico Williams out of the starting side but the winger was called into action with his side trailing, but their best chance fell to his brother Inaki who pulled his shot wide from a decent position.

Óscar de Marcos and Inaki Williams both had the ball in the net for Athletic late on but were denied by offside decisions, and Barcelona deservedly took their place in the final.

Wednesday's decision by Spain's National Sports Council (CSD) to allow Barcelona to provisionally register Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor came too late for the game against Athletic, but the pair will now be available to play in Sunday's decider.