ATH 0-2 FCB Highlights, Spanish Super Cup semifinal: Yamal, Gavi ...

Raphinha does well to run onto a long pass inside the box. He tries to go past Simon but the Athletic goalkeeper times his challenge and wins the ball.

And that is the last major action of the match as the referee blows the whistle for full time. 

Raphinha now wins a freekick in the middle of the pitch after drawing a foul from Djalo.

Ferran Torres wins a freekick for Barcelona in its own half to slow things down and tick away the seconds.

Seven minutes of added time to play.

It seemed like De Jong’s back pass took a slight deflection off an Athletic player before reaching Inaki, who was in an offside position.

GOAL DISALLOWED!! The ball comes to Inaki out front and the Athletic captain does well to keep him calm before burying the ball into the bottom right corner.

However, a VAR check is going on at the moment and the goal is disallowed for offside.

Barcelona: Balde and Casado are replaced by Martin and Garcia.

Nico Williams plays a defence-splitting through ball to De Marcos who made a run into the box. He puts the ball in the back of the net but it is ruled out for OFFSIDE.

Athletic Club: Gomez is replaced by Djalo.

Barcelona is in full control of the ball at the moment as the Athletic players scurry to win the ball.

Kounde is shown a yellow card for a foul on Gomez.

Barcelona: Gavi and Lewandowski are replaced by De Jong and Ferran Torres 

Berchicho plays a good-looking cross into the box for Inaki. His first time shot ends up going wide of the left post.

Nico Williams races down the left and cuts into his right before taking a shot with his right. Szczesny makes an easy save in the end.

A curling cross comes to Inaki on the right. He takes a touch inside the box and tries to cut back a pass to his brother Nico. However, the flag goes up for offside in the end.

Szczesny makes a fine save after Vesga unleashes a powerful shot from outside th box.

Athletic Club: Prados, Guruzeta, Lekue are replaced by Vesga, Nico Williams and Marcos

Barcelona: Yamal is replaced by Fermin Lopez

Looks like both coaches are preparing their substitutions as Nico Williams and Fermin Lopez get ready on the sidelines.

Barcelona catches Athletic on the break again and Balde drives down the left. He passes it into the box where Jauregizar makes an important touch to clear the ball away for a corner.

Berenguer tries to go on a run down the left but Casado closes him down and clears the ball away for a corner.

It is an uphill task for Athletic now and as it will need at least two goals to force a penalty shootout. 

Yamal scores!! Athletic gives away the ball and Gavi feeds a lovely pass through for Lamine Yamal. The youngster takes a touch on the turn and keeps calm to finish it into the back of the net .

Lamine Yamal tries to dribble past Berenguer but the Athletic player brings the youngster down.

He is shown a yellow card for the challenge. 

Raphinha gets the ball on the left and cuts to his right inside the box. He takes a shot which lacks power, allowing Simon to make an easy save.

Yamal gets the ball on the right and cuts into the middle before taking a shot from outside the box. The ball ends up going well wide in the end.

Barcelona kicks off the second half shooting from left to right.

Berchiche drives down the left and squares the ball to Williams in the middle. His attempt is brilliantly saved by Szczesny and the rebound attempt is deflected out for a corner.

And that is the last action of the half as the referee blows the whistle for half time.

One minute of added time to play.

Inaki Williams gets the ball on the right side of the box and tries to smash it into the goal. The ball ends up rising and goes out for a goal kick.

Athletic is managing to keep all the play in Barcelona’s half at the moment but cannot seem to create any clear-cut chances.

Five minutes plus added time to go in the first half.

A long ball is played for Raphinha. Simon comes off his line once again to try and control the ball. He misses the ball on the first attempt and ends up hurriedly gathering it inside his penalty area.

Athletic is looking more lively now. Berenguer gets the ball on the left and plays a low cross into the middle. Szczesny makes a good interception to stop the ball from finding Guruzeta.

Raphinha tries to find Athletic on the break with a pass to Yamal on the right. Simon comes way off his line to clear the ball away from danger.

A deflected cross tees up nicely for Jauregriza on the edge of the Barcelona box. However, his volley ends up sailing into the stands.

Paredes with yet another long ball out front for Inaki Williams. Szczesny comes off his line and almost makes a mess of the situation before clearing the ball away for corner.

Athletic has been relying on long balls out front for its forwards, but can’t seem to find a way past the Barcelona defence.

Lewandowski finds Yamal on the right side of the pitch. He tries to cut to his left but slips and loses the ball. Gavi tries to pounce on the loose ball inside the box and goes down claiming a foul from an opposition defender. 

The referee takes a good look and says no penalty.

Paredes gives away the ball in his own half and Yamal plays it through for Raphinha. Unai Simon makes a good save and the rebound attempt from Yamal is poor as the Athletic keeper gathers the ball easily. 

Athletic with a lovely passing move and Inaki Williams is free on the right now. He gets into the box and tries to find his teammate at the far post. But Kounde makes the interception and clears the ball away from danger.

Gavi scores!! Raphinha wins the ball in the middle of the pitch from Paredes. He feeds it to Cubarsi who finds Balde making a run down the left. He gets into the box and cuts back a pass to the six-yard-area where Gavi slips it into the back of the net.

Pedri skips past the Athletic midfield and tries to find Yamal on the right. Berchiche does well to anticipate the pass and make an interception.

Yamal falls back and wins the ball for his side before trying to go on a run. He is fouled by Jauregizar who is lucky to escape a yellow card.

Szczesny comes way off his line to clear a loose ball away from an onrushing Athletic player.

A clearance comes towards Barcelona’s box and Guruzeta tries to trouble Szczesny. However, the flag goes up for offside in the end.

Raphinha stands over the ball and shoots it towards goal, trying to catch Simon out. The Spanish keeper does well to react fast and make a good save to his right

Raphinha wins a freekick in a good shooting position after drawing a foul from Prados.

Barcelona wins a freekick in its own half after Prados fouls Lewandowski. 

Corner comes in from the left for Athletic. The Barca defence does well to head the ball away.

Athletic Club gets a freekick in the opposition half after Gavi commits a foul.

A cross is played from the right into the box by Kounde. Raphinha with a volley in front of goal but ends up shooting the ball over the bar.

Barcelona is enjoying complete possession of the ball at the moment. Yamal with a lovely ball through for Kounde who made a run into the box. Unai Simon comes off his line and makes a good save after Koude takes a shot.

Athletic Club kicks off the match shooting from left to right. 

The players are making their way into the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. Inaki Williams leads Athletic Club while Raphinha leads FC Barcelona.

Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde said Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo being unavailable to play in Wednesday’s Spanish Super Cup semifinal was a boost for his team.

Financially struggling Barcelona is frantically battling to get the Spanish playmaker licensed for the second half of the season after his registration ran out at the end of 2024 and earlier efforts were rebuffed twice in court.

The Catalan club took their case to Spain’s top sports court on Tuesday but until there is a verdict or a temporary measure grants them new licences, are set to be without Olmo and striker Pau Victor.

Both have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the clash against Copa del Rey winners Athletic but currently cannot feature.

-AFP

Szczesny (gk), Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde, Casado, Pedri, Yamal, Raphinha, Gavi, Lewandowski

Simon (gk), Lekue, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche, Prados, Jauregizar, I. Williams, Gomez, Berenguer, Guruzeta 

The Athletic Club vs Barcelona Spanish Super Cup semifinal match will kick off at 12:30 AM IST, on Thursday, January 9 at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium in Jeddah.

The match will not be telecast anywhere in India. It will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.