Swedish 20-year-old Roony Bardghji earned a starting spot in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal and repaid the trust with a goal and two assists as FC Barcelona crushed Athletic Club 5-0 in Jeddah.
The Spanish Super Cup semifinal took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick opted to start Roony Bardghji ahead of Lamine Yamal. Barcelona took an early lead to 2-0 with goals from Ferran Torres and Fermín López. Bardghji was involved in the first goal, passing the ball to López who then assisted Torres.
In the 34th minute, Bardghji scored his second competitive goal for Barcelona. He received the ball on the right flank, turned towards goal, and fired a shot that Unai Simón could not save. Four minutes later, he assisted Raphinha for the 4-0 goal, a stunning strike from the Brazilian.
The second half saw continued dominance. Bardghji contributed to the 5-0 goal, touching the ball with his thigh before Raphinha finished it off. The Swede was substituted in the 72nd minute for Lamine Yamal.
Post-match, Raphinha praised his teammate: “We show that we are always ready, no matter who plays. Roony came in very well. It shows the quality in the team.” The other semifinal between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid is scheduled for Thursday.
