Athletic Bilbao Faces Barcelona in Spanish Super Cup Semifinal

Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona will clash in the semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup on Wednesday, January 8, at 4 p.m. Brasília time. The match will take place at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The winner will advance to face either Real Madrid or Mallorca in the final.

Athletic Bilbao, currently fourth in La Liga with 36 points from 19 games, recently secured a penalty shootout victory against Logroñés in the Copa del Rey. Barcelona, sitting third in La Liga with 38 points, comes off a dominant 4-0 win over Barbastro in the same competition. Despite Barcelona’s recent struggles, including two losses and a draw in their last five matches, they remain the betting favorites.

However, Athletic Bilbao enters the match on a 15-game unbeaten streak, boasting one of La Liga’s best defenses with only 17 goals conceded this season. Barcelona, by contrast, has allowed 22 goals. Betting odds suggest a low-scoring affair, with under 2.5 goals favored at odds of 2.2 (Bet365), 2.18 (Betano), and 2.15 (KTO).

Both teams face key absences. Athletic Bilbao will be without defender Yeray Álvarez and midfielders Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta and Oihan Sancet due to injuries. Barcelona, meanwhile, misses goalkeeper Ter Stegen and midfielder Marc Bernal, while Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor await clearance due to financial regulations.

Historically, Barcelona holds the upper hand with 124 wins in 243 meetings, compared to Athletic Bilbao’s 79 victories. The teams last met in La Liga earlier this season, with Barcelona securing a 2-1 home win. The Super Cup final is scheduled for Sunday, January 12, at the same venue.