There are games that are decided by inertia, few as predicted in the forecast as the one in Jeddah, because right now there is no team more dejected than Athletic. The confidence and energy of the Blaugrana contrasted with the decline and discouragement of the Red and Whites, also unrecognizable in the cold stadium of Saudi Arabia. The fans did not even fill the field, as if they knew the outcome of the match, conditioned by the moment of the contenders: Athletic is today a broken and depressed team that suffers without remedy, especially against optimistic and forceful teams like Barcelona.
5
Joan García, Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Alejandro Balde (Gerard Martín, min. 63), Jules Koundé, Pedri (Dani Olmo, min. 71), Frenkie de Jong (Marc Bernal, min. 63), Fermín López, Raphinha (Marcus Rashford, min. 64), Roony Bardghji (Lamine Yamal, min. 71) y Ferran Torres
0
Unai Simón, Adama Boiro (Íñigo Lekue, min. 56), Jesús Areso, Dani Vivian, Aitor Paredes, Alejandro Rego (Selton Sánchez, min. 60), Mikel Jauregizar, Oihan Sancet (Íñigo Ruíz de Galarreta, min. 53), Robert Navarro (Unai Gómez, min. 54), Alex Berenguer and Iñaki Williams (Gorka Cruzeta, min. 53)
Goals
1-0 min. 21: Forres. 2-0 min. 29: Fermín. 3-0 min. 33: Forever. 4-0 min. 37: Raphinha. 5-0 min. 51: Repinha
The substitution of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, both forwards who play with the number 10 in their teams and are good friends in the national team, seemed to benefit the Basque international and the Catalan candidate, excellent goalkeepers for two defensively fragile teams, especially Athletic. The red-and-white vulnerability is so evident that right now it is not known if it begins or ends with their goalkeeper, who was clumsy in some of Barcelona’s goals, especially in Roony Bardghji’s third, who signed up for a party that also featured Lamine in the final stretch.
Unlike Athletic, Barça usually compensates for the goals conceded with the many scored, always very decisive, even without Lewandowski, relegated to the bench by Ferran, also a top scorer in Jeddah. The absence of the Pole has not prevented the formation from becoming more and more recognizable since Flick has recovered the injured, especially Pedri and Raphinha. The Tenerife native mixed well again in the midfield with De Jong and Fermín while Eric García returned to defense and joined as a left-footed center back with Cubarsí instead of Gerard Martín. Raphinha also regained his winger position and scored 4-0 and 5-0.
The provision already announced greater fluidity in Barça football. Although the game began in Joan García’s area due to the charge of Athletic, as combative and energetic as it was unfortunate from the corner flag, the Blaugrana found the goal and Ferran, always well oriented by Pedri’s precise pass. The goal from the Valencian forward, who was very agile and precise in controlling the Andalusian midfielder’s bitten shot, broke the game on Barcelona’s second arrival. Valverde’s team had the stadium collapse on top of them and Barça’s path to the dislocated Unai Simón’s goal was opened.
The goals fell so easily that after half an hour the semi-final was already decided in favor of Barça. The discontinuous and at times even erratic play of the Blaugrana ended as soon as Pedri took the ball and Fermín took over, author of the 2-0 after an excellent tackle by Raphinha. The third was from Roony Bardghji, who cut inside and outside Adama, until he shot at the bulk and caused the Athletic goalkeeper to make an error. The goalkeeper was weak again shortly after when Raphinha shot hard from the left side and the leather slipped through the post he was defending.
Athletic’s response was a single foul and a post from Sancet. The red-and-white intensity barely lasted 10 minutes, the only moment in which the seams of the Blaugrana were appreciated, as they loosened up little by little, with hardly any effort or need to run, always downhill; It was simply enough to accelerate a little when reaching the three-quarter line to overwhelm Valverde’s squad. The contest maintained the same tone at the end of the break because there were no changes in any team and . The round of substitutions ended up making Athletic much better.
Although he roped in Lamine, who had barely trained during the week, Flick protected his most emblematic players and Valverde’s team missed a couple of good opportunities against Joan García. Athletic has plenty of areas, fighting for goals and waiting to vindicate its aspirations for a Cup title. Starting at 5-0, Barcelona dedicated itself to thinking about the semifinal that will face Madrid and Atlético. An apparently more balanced duel than the one won by the champion without breaking a sweat against a candidate as tame as Athletic.
