Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde admitted that Barcelona deserved their 2-0 victory in the Supercopa de España semifinal on Wednesday night in Jeddah.

Goals from Gavi and Lamine Yamal sealed the win for Barca, who showed their quality throughout the match.

Reflecting on the game, Valverde acknowledged the challenge posed by Barcelona’s strength and depth.

“This match was an opportunity to reach the final, which we didn’t achieve. Barcelona is a great team with a lot of resources. We tried and did the best we could and tried to keep the game alive. Nothing more,” he said.

The Athletic Club boss highlighted his team’s struggles at the beginning of both halves, a factor that gave Barcelona the edge.

“We didn’t play well at the start of both halves. We had a hard time adapting and they scored the first goal. At the end of the first half, we felt good. It was a very fast game,” Valverde explained.

He also pointed to the physical toll the match took on his players, noting their fatigue as the game progressed. “The players were very tired. They had the feeling of moving forward and then having to go back. I don’t know if they felt wet, but you could tell they were very tired,” he added.

Barcelona now advances to the Supercopa final, with another opportunity to add silverware to their collection this season.