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Barcelona and Athletic Membership confronted off on the King Abdullah Sports activities Metropolis in Saudi Arabia final night time within the first semifinal of the Supercopa de Espana, and Hansi Flick’s aspect introduced house the win fairly convincingly.
The supervisor put out his finest out there group on the night time with even Lamine Yamal coming back from harm, Raphinha that includes for the primary time after the Christmas break, and the mainstays in defence and midfield have been again in motion.
The Blaugrana created seven large probabilities in opposition to the Basque opposition, took 14 photographs, and may have received by a bigger margin. Regardless, they’re now within the finale and have time to relaxation and get well earlier than the title conflict.
Barça Common brings you three speaking factors from Barcelona 2-0 Athletic Membership.
Supercopa Gavi is completely different
Gavi scored and assisted a aim in opposition to Athletic Membership. (Photograph by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Photos)
The Barcelona camp was visibly joyous final night time after information arrived that the group acquired the precautionary measure from CSD concerning the supply of Dani Olmo and Pau Victor.
With each gamers unavailable for the sport in opposition to Athletic Membership, nonetheless, the supervisor had a choice to take over whom to deploy because the attacking midfielder on the night time. His resolution was fairly easy as he picked Gavi.
The La Masia graduate has slowly been working his manner up since coming back from an ACL harm and his confidence has been on the fixed rise with each passing recreation. Final night time, nonetheless, the world noticed classic Gavi as soon as extra.
For not a second within the recreation did the previous Golden Boy winner look something lower than the participant he was pre-injury. Beginning within the attacking midfield, he dictated Barcelona’s buildup, created gaps within the defence, and stole the present alone.
It was within the seventeenth minute of the sport that the quantity 6 opened the scoring for the group and it was clear how a lot the aim meant to him, it being his first aim since his harm. He was on the proper place on the proper time and tapped in Alejandro Balde’s help.
After the restart, he splendidly arrange Yamal for Barcelona’s second aim with a deft contact, enjoying the winger immediately in entrance of aim and putting it on a platter.
Other than his aim and help, Gavi racked up three key passes, accomplished 90% of his passes, and created one large probability.
Remembering how he single-handedly demolished Actual Madrid in the identical competitors two years in the past, it’s clear that the Supercopa de Espana brings out the perfect in Gavi.
Szczesny’s second begins?
Wojciech Szczesny began forward of Inaki Pena. (Photograph by Alex Caparros/Getty Photos)
Regardless of being poised to start out for Barcelona in opposition to Athletic Membership, Inaki Pena was axed from the beginning lineup after he did not report on time. The doorways thus opened for Wojciech Szczesny and the veteran confirmed his class on the night time.
Having made his debut solely earlier this week within the Copa del Rey, it was at all times going to be attention-grabbing to see how he fared in opposition to elite opposition. Szczesny, nonetheless, was unfazed and dished out a man-of-the-match show.
The Polish goalkeeper was sturdy in 1v1 duels, respectable along with his distribution, and got here up clutch when the group wanted him essentially the most, thus serving to Barcelona keep within the recreation always.
In 90 minutes, Szczesny produced a staggering 5 saves, considered one of which got here from contained in the field and accomplished all six of his tried runs out. He additionally made two excessive claims and accomplished 86% of his passes.
At a time when Inaki Pena is slowly shedding the administration’s belief, Sczcesny’s efficiency might come as precisely what the participant must change into Barcelona’s first-choice goalkeeper.
Inside attain of silverware
The title is inside Barcelona’s attain. (Photograph by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Photos)
One down. One to go. Barcelona at the moment are midway by their path to the Spanish Tremendous Cup trophy and it’s exhausting to disregard that silverware is simply across the nook.
After their hunch in kind in the direction of the tip of final yr, the dressing room is set to return stronger than earlier than within the new yr, and successful early in 2025 will go a great distance in boosting their spirits.
In some ways, it might validate Hansi Flick’s challenge, present the group that they’re headed in the best course, and encourage them to place up their finest for the remainder of the marketing campaign with strong proof that it is sufficient to win silverware.
Having taken a mighty group in Athletic Membership within the semifinal, the group can be feeling good about their probabilities as they wait to see who they face within the finale.
Possibly, it is going to be Actual Madrid who will get the higher of Mallorca and earn a spot within the title conflict and the Catalans will love the chance to win a trophy by immediately defeating their arch-rivals.
