Barcelona reach the final of the Spanish Super Cup with a 2-0 win against Athletic Bilbao in Saudi Arabia.
Young starlets Gavi and Lamine Yamal fired Barcelona, without Dani Olmo after his licence to play was revoked, into the Spanish Super Cup final with a 2-0 win against Athletic Bilbao.
Spanish playmaker Olmo was cleared to play again on a temporary basis before the game on Wednesday, but the decision came too late for him or Pau Victor, in the same position, to feature against Copa del Rey winners Athletic.
Gavi put Barcelona ahead from close range after 17 minutes and teenage winger Yamal netted the second early after the break.
Spanish and European champions Real Madrid face cup runners-up Mallorca on Thursday in the second semifinal.
“We don’t care [who we face in the final]. It will be hard and we want to win it, which is the important thing, and go back home with the trophy,” Yamal told Movistar after the game.
Barcelona, who qualified as LaLiga runners-up, started brightly and Raphinha volleyed over from a fine Jules Kounde cross and forced Unai Simon into a good save with a free-kick.
It was no surprise when the Catalans broke the deadlock with Alejandro Balde cutting the ball back for Gavi, playing in Olmo’s attacking midfield role, to turn home.
The 20-year-old pointed at an imaginary watch in his celebration, a nod to Olmo, who regularly produces the same gesture after scoring.
At the other end, Inaki Williams dallied on the ball too long as Athletic’s best attacking move of the first half broke down.
Yamal, 17, should have added Barcelona’s second after Raphinha’s shot was saved but miscued an attempted lob.
Wojciech Szczesny, on his second start in goal for Barcelona, made a good save to keep Inaki Williams at bay before the break.
Barcelona doubled their lead early in the second half when Gavi slipped in Yamal who finished with aplomb.
“Athletic are a very physical team that make you run a lot. We suffered above all towards the end, but we were able to play well, and we’re very happy,” Yamal added.
Veteran Polish forward Robert Lewandowski spurned a fine chance to add the third, firing off-target when well-placed.
Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde, who was sacked as Barcelona boss after a defeat at the same stadium in 2020, brought on Nico Williams to try and turn the game around.
The Spain international, heavily linked with Barcelona in the summer, was not fit enough to start, but made a positive impact from the bench.
The winger set up Oscar de Marcos to strike, but the Athletic defender had strayed just offside and the goal was ruled out.
Inaki Williams also had a goal ruled out for offside after Frenkie de Jong’s poor back-pass took a slight deflection off Alvaro Djalo on its way to the Ghana international.
Barcelona secured their victory and await their opponents in Sunday’s final, in which Olmo will be allowed to feature.