Supercopa de España Semi-final: Barcelona Thrash Athletic Bilbao 5-0

On January 8, 2026, the focus match of the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals kicked off at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium (also known as Alinma Stadium) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. FC Barcelona crushed Athletic Bilbao with a landslide score of 5-0, successfully securing a spot in the final and awaiting the winner of the Madrid derby between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid (the final will be held at the same venue at 3:00 AM on January 12). This victory not only extended Barcelona's strong momentum since the end of 2025 but also demonstrated the maturity and depth of the team under Hansi Flick's tactical system through a dominant 80%-20% possession rate and an efficient attack with 13 shots and 7 on target.

The suspense of the game was ended in the first half, as Barcelona scored 4 goals in 16 minutes, setting a record for the most goals in the first half of a Spanish Super Cup semi-final. Raphinha, who scored 2 goals and provided 1 assist, was named the Man of the Match. Fermín López and Roony Bardghji each contributed 1 goal and 2 assists, and the attacking line linked by the three made Athletic Bilbao's defense ineffective. On the contrary, Athletic Bilbao only had 3 shots on target throughout the game, with no threat in the attacking end. The disorganized defensive positioning coupled with goalkeeper Unai Simón's mistakes made them completely a backdrop for Barcelona's dominance.

Barcelona's rotated lineup still showed strong competitiveness in this game. Pedri and Frenkie de Jong's precise scheduling in the midfield, combined with the high-pressing tactic, made it difficult for Athletic Bilbao to organize effective attacks. This 5-0 victory not only set a new record for the largest margin of victory in the history of the Spanish Super Cup but also highlighted Barcelona's determination to compete for the 16th Spanish Super Cup title in the club's history; while Athletic Bilbao needs to quickly adjust from the slump of consecutive winless games and focus on the subsequent La Liga and Copa del Rey matches.

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