Barcelona face Athletic Bilbao as their first hurdle in the fight to retain the Spanish Super Cup. The team is now in Saudi Arabia chasing the first trophy of the season, and head coach Hansi Flick is eager to lift the title. According to him, this trophy will serve as fuel for the rest of the season.
In the semi-final in Jeddah on Wednesday, Barcelona will go head-to-head with Athletic Bilbao. The match at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium will kick off at 1:00 AM Bangladesh time.
In recent years, the Spanish Super Cup has been held in Saudi Arabia with four teams participating: the champions and runners-up of La Liga and the Copa del Rey from the previous season. In the 2024-25 season, Barcelona were champions of both competitions, with Real Madrid finishing as runners-up. Joining them this year are Atlético Madrid and Bilbao, who finished third and fourth in La Liga last season.
Interestingly, over the past four seasons, the team that has won the Spanish Super Cup has gone on to claim the La Liga title. Flick is well aware of the trophy’s significance. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the German coach said the team will give their all to retain the title.
“Super Cup here is different from the one played in Germany. I like it; it’s a unique competition, the shortest path to a trophy. Winning the Super Cup gives energy for the rest of the season and that’s what we will try to do.”
Barcelona enter the Super Cup full of confidence after nine consecutive wins in La Liga. A victory here will set up a final clash on Sunday against the winner of the Real Madrid vs Atlético Madrid semi-final.
