Barcelona – Athletic Club analysis

Who will make it to the Super Copa final?

Barcelona and Athletic Club meet in the Super Copa, a match that is often close and physical, but where the conditions this time point in a slightly different direction. Barcelona comes in with stable form and clear development in the game, while Athletic Club has had a more variable period both in terms of results and performance. The match is played in Saudi Arabia, but that does not change much in the balance of strength as the teams appear right now. This is a meeting where pace, structure and the ability to exploit space will be crucial.

Barcelona – Balance in every way

Barcelona have been consistently good for a long time and appear to be a more mature and balanced team than earlier in the season. They score goals regularly, but perhaps more importantly, they have gained better control at the back. The team is missing fewer big chances, and the distance between the joints has become shorter. This makes it harder for them to play through, even against teams that are comfortable with a high tempo.

With the ball, Barcelona are patient but direct when the opportunity arises. They have several players who can create one-on-one imbalances, and they are good at moving the ball quickly from side to side to pull the opponent out of position. The midfield keeps a good pace in the passing game, and the team is good at winning the ball back quickly when they lose it. Even with some absences in the squad, Barcelona have good width, and the quality of the starting eleven is high. This is a team that looks comfortable in big games.

Athletic Club – Uneven form

Athletic Club comes into this match with more uncertainty around both form and team selection. They have delivered some solid performances, but the overall performance has been uneven, especially defensively. In several matches they have struggled with structure at the back, and small mistakes have been punished severely. Absences in the defensive line have meant that the team has had to adjust more than desired.

Athletic are still true to their style. They play with high intensity, a lot of dueling and a great willingness to press. When they succeed in this, they can make the matches messy and difficult. At the same time, they have had challenges in creating enough clear chances against teams that are good at established defense. Against Barcelona, ​​they have often become aggressive, and then the match picture has quickly tilted in the wrong direction. For Athletic, a lot is about keeping the match even for as long as possible.

Conclusion – Control wins battles

Looking at the whole, Barcelona appears to be the most stable team heading into this match. They have better flow in the game, greater confidence in the team and more ways to decide matches. Athletic Club can do this consistently at times, but over the full match it is difficult to see them standing up if Barcelona gets the match to where they want.

Everything points in one direction:

Super Copa at 20:00: Barcelona - Athletic Club: Barcelona win (1.52)