JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 8 — FC Barcelona cruised into the final of the Spanish Super Cup with a comfortable 5-0 win over Athletic Club in a game that was effectively over by halftime.
Athletic captain Inaki Williams had criticized the decision to play the Super Cup in Saudi Arabia in the run-up to the game, and after a bright opening 10 minutes his side seemed to lose focus, putting up very little resistance to Barcelona’s flowing attacking football.
Unai Simon had already saved from Fermin Lopez when Ferran Torres scored the opener with a bouncing shot from inside the area. Athletic had a reasonable claim that the opening goal came after a foul against them when winger Alex Berenguer had cleanly won the ball, but they had no answer to Barcelona’s avalanche of goals that followed.
Fermin Lopez doubled Barcelona’s lead after slotting home following an excellent cross from Raphinha in the 30th minute, and two minutes later he set up Roony Bardghji to make it 3-0 with another fine assist.
Roony then set up Raphinha to score his first of the night with a powerful shot in the 38th minute, and the pair combined for Barcelona’s fifth seven minutes after the break.
Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde had made his five changes before the hour mark, with Hansi Flick bringing on Marcus Rashford, Marc Bernal, Gerard Martin and Lamine Yamal for Barcelona.
The urgency had gone out of the game by then, with Unai Gomez missing a good chance for Athletic, but by then Barcelona was already thinking about Sunday’s final against either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, who play in the second semifinal on Thursday.(Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
