"The final score could easily have been even more damaging for Athletic Club. After Raphinha struck for the second time to make it 5-0, Barcelona visibly eased off. Several Barça players, many of whom share a dressing room with Unai Simon in the Spanish national team, chose not to push further and avoided turning the semifinal into a humiliation. That sense of control defined the entire match, with Flick's side dictating the tempo from the opening whistle to the final minute."
"One of the most anticipated subplots before kick-off was the goalkeeper battle between Joan Garcia and Unai Simon. With both men firmly in contention to be Spain's first-choice goalkeeper at next World Cup, the semifinal carried extra personal stakes. However, that individual duel was settled early and decisively. Simon endured a difficult night, most notably with a costly mistake that directly contributed to Roony Bardghji's goal. On the other end, Joan Garcia barely put a foot wrong and finished the match with a clean sheet."
Barcelona produced a 5-0 victory over Athletic Club in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal, extending their dominance from last season and asserting clear control. The scoreline could have been worse, but several Barcelona players deliberately eased off after Raphinha's second goal to avoid humiliating Athletic Club. The team dictated tempo throughout, with midfield and attack repeatedly imposing themselves. A notable subplot was the goalkeeper duel: Unai Simon made a costly error that led directly to Roony Bardghji's goal, while Joan Garcia kept a clean sheet and strengthened his claim for Spain's starting role.
Read at Barca Universal
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