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

Objectives from Gavi and Lamine Yamal earned Barcelona a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao within the Spanish Tremendous Cup semifinal in Jeddah on Wednesday to succeed in their third successive remaining.

Gavi opened the scoring within the seventeenth minute and Yamal doubled Barca’s lead seven minutes after the break.

Barcelona, probably the most profitable Tremendous Cup aspect with 14 trophies, will face the winners of Thursday’s semifinal between holders Actual Madrid and Mallorca within the remaining on Sunday.

The earliest probabilities fell to Barcelona’s Raphinha, who first acrobatically volleyed over after which struck a robust free kick which keeper Unai Simón parried away, however Barca have been quickly rewarded for his or her early onslaught.

Pedri performed a move to Alejandro Balde huge within the space who pulled the ball again throughout to Gavi, and from simply outdoors the six-yard field he slipped his shot via the legs of Simon.

Barca might have doubled their lead however Raphinha hit his shot straight on the keeper when put via on a one-on-one by Yamal, and Athletic lastly started to create alternatives of their very own.

Wojciech Szczesny obtained right down to cease a low cross from Yuri Berchiche with Gorka Guruzeta ready in entrance of aim for what would have been a easy tap-in, and the Barcelona keeper then denied Iñaki Williams simply earlier than the break.

Lamal missed the final two video games with an ankle damage however his efficiency confirmed why supervisor Hansi Flick risked the winger from the beginning.

“He was getting back from an damage. We needed to change. 60 minutes or 65 we needed to change, it was completely clear,” Flick mentioned after the sport. “I’m very comfortable, so we’re searching for the 2-0 victory, this is superb for us. We’re within the remaining, that is our aim. We’re comfortable additionally that we’ve a clear sheet.

“The staff carried out properly and I am comfortable. We deserved to undergo as we speak.”

Gavi turned supplier with a pleasant move performed ahead which Lamal managed fantastically on the flip earlier than taking the ball into the realm and coolly driving his shot previous Simon.

Athletic had left a not totally match Nico Williams out of the beginning aspect however the winger was known as into motion together with his aspect trailing, however their finest likelihood fell to his brother Inaki who pulled his shot huge from an honest place.

Óscar de Marcos and Inaki Williams each had the ball within the web for Athletic late on however have been denied by offside choices, and Barcelona deservedly took their place within the remaining.

Wednesday’s determination by Spain’s Nationwide Sports activities Council (CSD) to permit Barcelona to provisionally register Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor got here too late for the sport towards Athletic, however the pair will now be out there to play in Sunday’s decider.