Barcelona cruised to a dominant 5-0 victory over Athletic Club at King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia to secure a spot in the 2026 Spanish Super Cup final. Their opponent will be determined tomorrow when Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid face off in the other semifinal.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Athletic Club actually started the match on the front foot but failed to capitalize on their early opportunities. Barcelona, by contrast, was clinical; Ferran Torres opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, sparking a relentless offensive surge.
Before the halftime whistle, Fermin Lopez, Roony Bardghji, and Raphinha each found the back of the net to effectively end the contest, sending Barcelona into the break with a commanding 4-0 lead.
Athletic Club held little hope of a comeback in the second half, and Raphinha extinguished any remaining doubt by extending the lead to 5-0 to seal the win. Hansi Flick’s squad now moves on to the final on January 11, where it will pursue its first trophy of 2026.
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Barcelona defeated Athletic Club and you lived every moment of this game with Bolavip.
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End of the game!
Barcelona defeated Athletic Club 5-0 to reach the 2026 Spanish Super Cup final!!!
77- Gomez miss a huge chance!! (5-0)
Unai Gomez missed a golden opportunity to cut the deficit!
71'- Two modifications in Barcelona (5-0)
Pedri and Roony Bardghji left the field to make way for Dani Olmo and Lamine Yamal.
64'- Three substitutions for Barcelona (5-0)
Frenkie de Jong, Alejandro Balde and Raphinha left the field to make way for Marc Bernal, Gerard Martin and Marcus Rashford.
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60'- Last substitution for Athletic Club (5-0)
Alejandro Rego left the field to make way for Selton Sanchez.
56'- Substitution for Athletic Club (5-0)
Adama Boiro was replaced by Inigo Lekue.
54'- Three substitutions for Athletic Club (5-0)
Iñaki Williams, Oihan Sancet and Robert Navarro left the field to make way for Gorka Guruzeta, Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta and Unai Gomez.
Ferran Torres delivered a brilliant assist to Fermin Lopez, leaving him one-on-one with Unai Simon, but the Spanish goalkeeper came up big once again to save his side.
15'- Barcelona miss the first chance!
Roony Bardghji delivered a dangerous cross to Pedri at the edge of the box, who fired a shot on target, but Unai Simon made the save with ease.
9'- Barcelona are beginning to take center stage (0-0)
After a difficult start, Barcelona are finding a better rhythm, primarily down the left side with Raphinha acting as the key figure.
2'- Athletic Club take the initiative (0-0)
Ernesto Valverde’s side started aggressively, earning three consecutive corner kicks within the first three minutes.
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GAME ON!
Barcelona and Athletic Club have kicked off the Spanish Super Cup 2026 semifinal!
Players are on the pitch!
Players from both teams are on the field and the game will begin in a few minutes!
Why are Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski not palying?
In the 2025 edition of the tournament, Barcelona defeated Athletic Club 2-0 at this same stage. The goals that night were scored by the young stars Gavi and Lamine Yamal, securing Hansi Flick’s first major final as Barcelona manager.
That victory served as a springboard for one of the most memorable Clásico in recent years. In the subsequent final, Barcelona dominated Real Madrid with a 5-2 victory to lift the trophy, marking a turning point in the Flick era.
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Barcelona lineup confirmed!
This will be Barcelona's starting XI: Joan Garcia, Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Alejandro Balde; Frenkie De Jong, Pedri, Fermin Lopez; Roony Bardghji, Ferran Torres, Raphinha.
This will be Athletic Club starting lineup: Unai Simon; Jesus Areso, Dani Vivian, Aitor Paredes, Adama Boiro; Mikel Jauregizar, Alejandro Rego; Alex Berenguer, Oihan Sancet, Robert Navarro; Iñaki Williams.
Spaniard referee Isidro Diaz de Mera has been appointed to officiate the semifinal clash between Barcelona and Athletic Club. He will be joined on the field by his compatriots Diego Santaursula and Ruben Campo, who are set to serve as the assistant referees.
Full officiating team:
Referee: Isidro Diaz de Mera (SPA)
Assistant Referee 1: Diego Santaursula (SPA)
Assistant Referee 2: Stephen Onyango (SPA)
Fourth Official: Ruben Campo (SPA)
VAR: Jorge Figueroa (SPA)
Kick off time and where to watch
The clash between Barcelona and Athletic Club will kick off at 2:00 PM (ET).
Barcelona and Athletic Club clash in Spanish Super Cup 2026 semifinals
Welcome to our live blog of the Spanish Super Cup 2026 semifinals. Barcelona face Athletic Club today in a crucial showdown, with both teams searching for a spot in the grand final!
Stay with us for key information and minute-by-minute updates of this exciting game!
Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, with a specialization in soccer, NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he first established himself as a writer. Throughout his career, Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open. His ability to report on real-time events and perform well under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, bringing his expertise in soccer, NBA, and tennis to deliver original content while providing live coverage of important events.
