Barcelona flexed their muscles in spectacular fashion, thrashing Athletic Bilbao 5-0 to secure a spot in the Spanish Super Cup final, currently being held in Saudi Arabia. The match, played Wednesday evening at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, showcased complete Catalan dominance, reflecting a team determined to assert its authority on the big stage.
With this emphatic victory, Barcelona will face the winner of the Madrid derby between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, scheduled for Thursday evening, in the highly anticipated final next Sunday at the same venue. While the final promises high drama, the performance that preceded it has captured the attention of the Catalan club.
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Beyond the lopsided scoreline, one player stole the spotlight. Recently away from regular attention, he unexpectedly emerged as the star of the night, turning the tide and commanding the match with his brilliance.
According to the Spanish newspaper El Nacional, club president Joan Laporta was astonished and impressed by the performance of Swedish star Ronnie Bardegji. The player delivered one of his finest displays in a Barcelona shirt, directly contributing to three goals—scoring one and assisting two others. His intelligent movement and dribbling continually troubled Athletic Bilbao’s defense throughout the game.
What made Bardegji’s performance remarkable wasn’t just the statistics, but his composure and decision-making despite limited playing time in recent weeks. His confidence on the ball, awareness of space, and ability to influence the game without dominating the spotlight made him one of the biggest surprises of the Super Cup so far.
El Nacional added that Laporta sees this match as a potential turning point in the player’s career, prompting consideration of the next phase of his role in the team. The Barcelona president is reportedly leaning toward honoring a direct request from coach Hansi Flick to give Bardegji more consistent opportunities, especially given the team’s need for players capable of making decisive contributions under pressure.
At Barcelona, it is understood that major victories are not always delivered by the expected stars but sometimes by players who rise at the right moment. Ronnie Bardegji’s performance in Jeddah may mark the start of a new chapter for both him and the team, potentially becoming a decisive factor in their pursuit of titles this season.
