Semifinal Super Cup: Gol Cubarsí Angkat Barcelona 2-1 atas Athletic Bilbao

Barcelona securing their place in the final of the Supercopa de España after a semifinal thriller against Athletic Bilbao, which ended with a 2-1 victory in favour of the Blaugrana. The decisive moment arrived in the 34th minute, when Pau Cubarsí rose above the entire defensive line to head in a cut-back delivery, a goal that effectively bent the momentum of the match. The Basque club did not surrender, managed to pull one back in the 85th minute, and even had a promising third goal cancelled by the offside flag in the 90+4 minute after a VAR check. In the end, Barcelona advanced to the final with their ticket secured.

The match took place at the Estadio de la Cartuja in Seville, a neutral ground, but the atmosphere felt more like a derby. Both teams arrived with high motivation and rotated squads in the squad rotation battle. Barcelona, who are still recovering from a disappointing Champions League group stage, treated this match as a laboratory test for their tactical variations. Athletic Bilbao, on the other hand, wanted to prove that their solid start in the league was no coincidence, and relied heavily on their compact defensive block and quick transitions.

Starting XI dan Formasi: Flick Pakai 4-3-3, Valverde Turunkan 4-2-3-1

Barcelona lined up in a 4-3-3 formation. Hansi Flick placed Cubarsí as the right centre-back, pairing him with Ronald Araújo, while left-back Alejandro Balde aggressively pushed forward. In the middle, Pedri acted as the creative engine, supported by Gavi and Frenkie de Jong. On the wings, Lamine Yamal on the right and Ferran Torres on the left had the task of stretching Bilbao's defensive block, with Robert Lewandowski operating as a mobile false nine. The Catalans' starting XI also included Iñaki Peña in goal and a back line completed by Jules Koundé when the ball was in possession.

Athletic Bilbao chose a 4-2-3-1 setup. Mikel Valverde trusted Oihan Sancet as the number 10 behind the striker, with Iñaki Williams occupying the centre-forward role. Nico Williams and Álex Berenguer provided pace on the flanks, while the double pivot of Mikel Jauregizar and Beñat Prados guarded the space in front of the defence. TheVisitors deliberately set the defensive line deep, and dared Barcelona to break the 4-4-2 block that dropped into midfield.

That approach worked for long stretches. Bilbao's compactness forced Barça to attack from the wings, and Flick's side struggled to create clean central lanes in the first 30 minutes. The solution came from wide play: Yamal repeatedly dribbled past his marker, and once his cross was cut back, the resulting header by Cubarsí became the breakthrough. The young centre-back was also tasked with stepping out of the back line to initiate pressing, and his 5 duels won became one of the best defensive statistics in the match.

Menit ke-34 dan Menit ke-61: Dua Momen yang Mengubah Pesta

In the 34th minute, Barça won a corner on the right side. Instead of a long cross, the corner was played short, drawing two Bilbao players out of the box. The ball was then whipped back into the area, and Cubarsí rose above everyone with a firm header that landed in the net. The assist was recorded as Lamine Yamal, and the goal became a reward for his relentless probing from the right flank.

Five minutes after the break, the second goal arrived with a fast combination in the middle. Lewandowski flicked the ball into the path of Yamal, who without hesitation cut into the penalty area and finished with his left foot. The 2-0 margin seemingly sealed the ticket to the final. At that moment, Barça's passing rhythm was at its peak: 62% possession, 88% pass completion, and a total of 14 shots, 7 of which were on target.

Bilbao, however, did not give up. In the 85th minute, a free kick delivery from the right was headed in by Iñaki Williams, narrowing the gap to 2-1 and re-opening the tension. The Basque side pushed more players forward, and Barça's back line was visibly shaken. The final minutes turned frantic, but the visitors' back line held firm, closing out the match despite the pressure. Interestingly, in the 90+4 minute, Barça was even close to adding a third when a goal was cancelled due to offside following a VAR review.

Reaksi Pelatih: Penekanan dan Kedisiplinan Jadi Kunci

"The first goal was important because it came from our positional play, not from individual brilliance. We controlled the rhythm, and the boys kept their concentration until the final whistle. We are still far from our best level, but this is a good step forward," said the Barcelona coach.

"We competed well and we did not collapse. The problem was that we conceded from set pieces and lost momentum after the first goal. We leave with our heads held high, but the details must be improved," said the Athletic Bilbao coach.

Statistik Kunci dan Catatan Kedisiplinan

Beyond the scoreline, several other figures also shaped the match. Barça dominated in possession with 62% against 38%, while corner kicks ended at 7-3 in their favour. In terms of attacking efficiency, the Blaugrana recorded 7 shots on target compared to Bilbao's 3. At the opposite end, Bilbao had a promising attack destroyed by VAR, reflecting how tight the margins were.

The discipline battle was rather one-sided. Barcelona only picked up 1 yellow card, while the Basque team collected 3, including one for a late tactical foul that nearly became a counter-attack opportunity. Cubarsí, who was voted man of the match, was also involved in the build-up, completing 93% of his passes and adding a crucial intervention at the back.

With this victory, Barcelona secured a place in the Supercopa final and now await the opponent determined by the other semifinal. For Athletic Bilbao, the exit is a bitter one, but the performance shows that the team is increasingly difficult to beat. The Supercopa is far from over, and the Blaugrana will now prepare for a final where every detail, from pressing intensity to set-piece organisation, will be even more important.