Barcelona continue their bid to reclaim the La Liga title on Saturday when they host Athletic Club in their first home game of the season.
Two goals from Robert Lewandowski helped Hansi Flick make a winning start to life as the Blaugrana manager, lifting the mood around Catalonia after a dispiriting Joan Gamper trophy defeat to Monaco.
They know plenty about upcoming opponents Athletic and winger Nico Williams in particular. The Euro 2024 winner has been heavily linked with Barca throughout the summer but no transfer has materialised and the Spanish winger is set to face his admirers at this early stage of the campaign before the summer window closes.
Here’s 90min’s preview of Barca‘s clash with Athletic this Saturday.
Barcelona vs Athletic Club H2H Record (Last Five Games)
Current form (all competitions)
|
Barcelona |
Athletic Club |
|---|---|
|
Valencia 1-2 Barcelona – 17/08/24 |
Athletic Club 1-1 Getafe – 15/08/24 |
|
Barcelona 0-3 Monaco – 12/08/24 |
Stuttgart 4-0 Athletic Club – 10/08/24 |
|
Barcelona 2-2 Milan – 07/08/24 |
Aston Villa 3-2 Athletic Club – 07/08/24 |
|
Real Madrid 1-2 Barcelona – 04/08/24 |
Athletic Club 2-1 Osasuna – 03/08/24 |
|
Man City 2-2 Barcelona – 31/07/24 |
Athletic Club 1-0 Eibar – 01/08/24 |
|
Country |
TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
|
United Kingdom |
Premier Sports Player, Premier Sports 1, LaLigaTV |
|
United States |
ESPN+, ESPN App, ESPN Deportes, fuboTV |
|
Canada |
TSN+ |
Barca have said goodbye to midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who has completed a return to Manchester City after just one season away from England, leaving Flick shorter on midfield options with Gavi and Frenkie de Jong out injured.
Centre-back Ronald Araujo will also be absent, allowing Pau Cubarsi to partner Inigo Martinez at the back, while exciting youngsters Lamine Yamal and Pedri should feature in the starting XI.
Whether Barca manage to register new signing Dani Olmo in time for the midfielder to make his debut this weekend remains to be seen.
Barcelona predicted lineup vs Athletic Club (4-2-3-1): Ter Stegen; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde; Casado, Bernal; Yamal, Pedri, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
Athletic goalkeeper and Spain hero Unai Simon is sidelined alongside Julen Agirrezabala, so Alex Padilla will feature between the sticks.
The likes of Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Nico Serrano, Aitor Paredes and Alvaro Djalo are also missing, but Nico Williams should be included in the XI after featuring off the bench at…
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