Raphinha's Double Seals Barcelona's Dominant 5-0 Win Over Athletic Bilbao in Spanish Super Cup
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Barcelona cruised into the Spanish Super Cup final with a resounding 5-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia. The La Liga leaders, who have now won nine consecutive matches across all competitions, will face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the final on Sunday. The match at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah was a one-sided affair, with Barcelona's dominance evident from the start. Hansi Flick's side began with Lamine Yamal on the bench but still managed to ease to a comfortable victory. Raphinha was the star of the show, netting twice and showcasing his fine form since returning from a hamstring injury that kept him out for two months. The Brazilian forward has been in top gear, and he expressed his desire to maintain his high level throughout the season. The match saw several key moments, including a stroke of fortune for Ferran Torres, who bundled home the opener after 22 minutes. Barca then sliced open Athletic's defense with a more attractive second goal, courtesy of Raphinha's cutback for Fermin Lopez. Roony Bardghji also got in on the act, scoring Barcelona's third goal after being given a helping hand by Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon. Raphinha lashed into the top left corner for Barca's fourth, and his second of the night sealed the win soon after the break. Athletic, who have endured a difficult season, were left to rue their poor performance. Captain Inaki Williams expressed his apology to the fans, acknowledging that his team was not up to the level required to compete with Barcelona's dominance.
