Saudi Stage, Big Takeoff: Flick’s Historic Barça Debut in the Spanish Super Cup
7 January 2026
Match Setting
Barcelona begin their journey in the Spanish Super Cup, held in Saudi Arabia, by taking on Athletic Bilbao in the semi-final on Wednesday. The clash is staged at a venue in the kingdom, with officials confirming it as a high-profile kick-off for the competition.
The event is broadcast exclusively on the Eight app, the official Arabic broadcaster of ROSHN Saudi Pro League matches.
Flick’s Milestones and Barcelona’s Record
According to Marca, Hansi Flick will coach his 87th Barcelona match tonight, making him the coach who has led the Blaugrana the most times in the club’s modern era.
Marca notes that Flick previously led 1899 Hoffenheim in Germany’s lower leagues across 195 matches and managed Bayern Munich in 86 matches. It also highlights Flick’s Barcelona record: 64 wins, 9 draws, 13 losses, with 243 goals scored and 103 conceded.
Officials also point to the match’s venue, King Abdullah Sports City, located in Jeddah, as the stage for this historic encounter between the Catalan giants and Athletic Bilbao.
Two late lines from the analysts hint at the narrative: the start of Flick’s long Barcelona journey and the pressure to translate a strong start into silverware for a club hungry for glory. In the meantime, the crowd will be keeping score as Barça looks to begin a memorable era in the Saudi stage of football history.
Punchline time: If Flick’s tactics were a sniper rifle, Barça’s defense would be wearing Kevlar—just in case the shot clock runs too fast. Punchline two: Barcelona’s plan isn’t a trick play; it’s a slow-cooked strategy—think Wi‑Fi at a stadium: it never fails to connect with the net.