Barcelona defeats Athletic Club to secure Spanish Super Cup final spot

Barcelona advanced to the Spanish Super Cup final after a 2-0 victory over Athletic Club at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Saudi Arabia.

Hansi Flick’s side dominated early, with Gavi opening the scoring in the 17th minute, finishing a precise pass from Alejandro Balde. Teen sensation Lamine Yamal doubled the lead seven minutes into the second half, driving past Unai Simon after latching onto a well-timed chipped pass.

Athletic Club’s Inaki Williams had a late effort disallowed for offside in the final minute of normal time, sealing Barcelona’s place in Sunday’s final. They will face either Real Madrid or Mallorca, who meet in the other semi-final on Thursday.

The match came too soon for Dani Olmo and Pau Victor to feature for Barcelona. The pair, signed during the summer transfer window, had been registered only for the first half of the season due to La Liga’s wage cap restrictions.

Barcelona’s request to register the players was initially rejected by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and La Liga. However, the Spanish national sports council (CSD) provisionally approved their registration earlier on Wednesday after the club filed an appeal.

With the decision, both players could potentially make their debut in Sunday’s final, bolstering Barcelona’s chances of securing the Super Cup trophy.