And all this without Lamine Yamal...: the hot notes from Barça-Athletic

A comfortable victory (5-0) against Athletic Club Barcelona, who were never a match for Hansi Flick's Barça, have entered Sunday's final as the overwhelming favorites to lift the Spanish Super Cup trophy once again. Here are some quick notes from the semifinal.

Raphinha was not a flash in the pan. One of the questions left by Barça's marvelous season in Hansi Flick's first year on the bench is whether Raphinha could maintain the exceptional level he displayed in the 2024-25 campaign. Despite scoring 34 goals and providing 26 assists in 57 matches for the Blaugrana, he didn't receive the international recognition he deserved: fifth in the Ballon d'Or, and left out of both the FIFA FIFPro World XI and the FIFPro World XI, the global organization that represents professional footballers. This season, having overcome his injuries, he has become a key player for the team. He already has 9 goals and 4 assists in 16 matches.

A resounding victory without Lamine Yamal. Hansi Flick is clear on this: if a player isn't 100% fit, he won't automatically start. Not even Lamine Yamal, although we should consider what would have happened if it had been the final instead of a semi-final. In any case, the winger, who hadn't participated in the final training sessions before the match, didn't start. The number 10 came on for the final minutes, when the game was already decided. His replacement was Roony Bardghji, who continues to make the most of the few opportunities he gets.

May the flu not cover the eyes of De la Fuente. One of the debates that had dominated the lead-up was the Head-to-head in goal between Joan Garcia and Unai Simón. The Barcelona goalkeeper arrived at the match after a brilliant performance against Espanyol, in which he was decisive for the Blaugrana victory. In contrast, the Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper had raised some doubts after his last performance against Osasuna, where conceding a free kick overshadowed the good saves he made against the Navarrese side. In the head-to-head match, Unai was the clear loser: he conceded a goal and made a disastrous mistake on the third. Spanish national team coach De la Fuente did not see it live, as he was absent due to the flu.

Saudi Arabia, what a shame. It's a shame that it's become normalized for sporting competitions like the Super Cup, among many others, to be held in countries like Saudi Arabia. It's an absolute monarchy where political parties and dissent are banned; women's rights remain severely restricted; the death penalty is carried out; and workers' rights, especially those of migrant workers in the construction sector, are trampled to the point that there have been disappearances and fatalities. Their influx of millions allows them to host competitions under a false guise of openness. The Super Cup is being played there because Luis Rubiales—through the mediation of Gerard Piqué—signed a multi-million euro agreement that runs until 2029.