"FC Barcelona absolutely steamrolled Athletic Club on their way to the Spanish Super Cup final, beating the Basque club 5-0 in the semifinal. The Blaugrana will now lock horns with bitter rivals Real Madrid in the final after Xabi Alonso's side defeated Atletico Madrid in the second semifinal clash on Thursday. Barcelona squad wanted Real Madrid in the final. Now, according to Javi Miguel of AS, the Barcelona players wanted to face Real Madrid in the final, and as such, last night's derby result was well-received by the squad."
"Although many players did not openly state a preference between Real Madrid and Atletico as opponents for the final before the match, the Blaugrana wanted an El Clasico showdown in Jeddah. As per the report, there is a great desire for revenge in the Barça camp after the 2-1 defeat suffered at the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga earlier in the season. Most of the players watched the semifinal in their hotel rooms, with some choosing to watch together, as did members of the coaching staff."
"This will be Hansi Flick's sixth Clasico, with Barça dominating the head-to-head record under the German: four wins and one defeat. One of those victories came in last season's Super Cup final, when the Catalans won 5-2. There is also no doubt that Barcelona arrive in the finals on a strong run of form. As such, within the squad, there is a strong desire to put right the last defeat against Real Madrid."
Barcelona steamrolled Athletic Club 5-0 to reach the Spanish Super Cup final and will face Real Madrid after Atletico's semifinal defeat. The Barcelona squad preferred Real Madrid as opponents and feel a strong desire for revenge following a 2-1 La Liga loss at the Santiago Bernabeu. Most players watched the semifinal from their hotel rooms, some together with coaching staff, and the delegation expressed satisfaction at Real's qualification. Hansi Flick will oversee his sixth Clasico; Barca have four wins and one defeat under him, including last season's 5-2 Super Cup victory. Barcelona arrive in strong form and view the final as a prime chance for the season's first trophy while Real Madrid show uncertainty in their play.
Read at Barca Universal
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