Barcelona routs Athletic Bilbao 5-0 in Spanish Super Cup semis while Yamal watches

JEDDAH, Saudi Araba (AP) — Raphinha scored twice as Barcelona routed Athletic Bilbao 5-0 in the semifinals of the Spanish Super Cup played in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Hansi Flick’s team overpowered their Basque rivals by scoring four times in the first half while Barcelona star Lamine Yamal watched from the bench.

Ferran Torres swatted in a missed shot by Fermín López to start the demolition in the 23rd minute at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah.

Fermín curled in a pass by Raphinha in the 30th and Roony Bardghji squirted a strike under Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simón four minutes later.

Raphinha poured it on with a blistering strike to beat Simón in the 38th before the Brazil forward rounded off the big win in the 52nd.

“We made the game look easy. When we are playing well the game becomes easier to play,” Raphinha said. “We are focused on ourselves and ready to play whoever wins the other semifinal.”

Raphinha missed six weeks due to injury earlier this season but has been playing in the same fine form as last season since his return in early December. His goals and leadership were crucial to Barcelona winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey as well as the Spanish Super Cup last campaign.

Yamal went on against Athletic as a late substitute. He should be fresh for Sunday’s final against either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, which play their semifinal Thursday.

Spain forward Nico Williams remained on Athletic’s bench for the entire match. Williams has been nagged by a groin strain this season.

“This is a tough loss,” Simón said. “When you concede five goals you can’t point to any single player. It means the entire team didn’t play well.”

Barcelona is currently leading La Liga. Athletic is eighth and vying for a European berth.

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Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Athletic Club Bilbao at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Barcelona's Pedri controls the ball during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Athletic Club Bilbao at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Barcelona's Pedri controls the ball during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Athletic Club Bilbao at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Barcelona players celebrate after scoring the fifth goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Athletic Club Bilbao at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Barcelona players celebrate after scoring the second goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Athletic Club Bilbao at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

MADRID (AP) — A Spanish court is investigating former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for alleged influence peddling and other possible crimes tied to a government airline bailout.

The National Court in Madrid is probing possible financial wrongdoing in connection with the Spanish government’s rescue of the Plus Ultra airline, which in 2021 received 53 million euros (now $62 million) in public money as part of COVID-19 recovery funds.

The court said in a statement that the investigation was widened to include Zapatero, who was summoned to answer a judge’s questions on June 2. Police with warrants from the investigating judge searched Zapatero’s office on Tuesday.

Zapatero, 65, was prime minister from 2004 to 2011. He is a member of the Socialist party headed by current Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

He denied any wrongdoing related to the bailout in a Senate hearing in March, saying he “never received any commissions from Plus Ultra.”

Plus Ultra is a Spanish-owned airline with investors from Venezuela. It specialized in flights between Spain and Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador.

Since leaving office, Zapatero has focused a large part of his activity on maintaining dialogue with the far-left regime in Venezuela, which was largely isolated from Western countries after it cracked down on the democratic opposition.

Zapatero had been out of public office for a decade when Plus Ultra received the bailout.

The former premier is considered a political ally of Sánchez, whose party has been rocked by other corruption scandals over the past two years.

FILE - Spain's former Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero speaks to journalists in La Paz, Bolivia, Thursday, May 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Juan Karita, File)