On Wednesday, FC Barcelona defeated Athletic Club 5-0 to reach the final of the Supercopa de España. The match took place in Madrid. The Catalan team scored four goals in a 16-minute spell between the 22nd and 38th minutes, solidifying their dominance. The goals were scored by Ferran Torres (22'), Fermín López (30'), Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson (34'), and Raphinha (38', 52').
After the match, Barcelona's coach, Hansi Flick, played down the euphoria, stating, "It was just one match. We had a great mentality as a team, defending and attacking as a team." He also explained why Lamine Yamal was not in the starting lineup, coming on only in the 72nd minute: "He had some discomfort in the last two days. It's nothing to do with an injury; it was stomach issues."
Athletic Club's manager, Ernesto Valverde, admitted his team had their worst performance in a long time. "It was a match in which we started well, but as soon as Barcelona scored, we felt the blow too much," he said. "If you bow your head against these teams, they will run over you." Valverde also expressed his appreciation for when his team plays cohesively, creating numerous chances as they did in the first half.
