Barcelona v Athletic Club – Line-ups, stats and preview
Barcelona take on Athletic Club on Saturday in LaLiga. Read our in-depth preview here
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Match Preview for Barcelona v Athletic Club
Barcelona walk back onto home turf for the first time in more than two years on Saturday evening, as Camp Nou finally reopens its doors for La Liga Matchday 13.
The long-awaited return arrives after a lengthy and often complicated €1.5bn redevelopment, and while the stadium remains far from its finished state, the occasion marks a symbolic moment for the club and its supporters.
Hansi Flick’s team come home sitting second in the table on 28 points, three behind Real Madrid. Their attacking numbers remain strong – 32 goals scored is the highest tally in the league – but the 15 conceded underline the defensive wavering that has followed them throughout the campaign.
They have gone 10 matches without a clean sheet, their last shutout arriving against Getafe in September, yet they approach this fixture buoyed by a lively 4-2 win over Celta Vigo.
Historical trends lean strongly in the Catalans’ favour. Barcelona have beaten Athletic Club in the last three league meetings, and across the previous ten clashes, the Basques have come out on top only twice – both of those in Copa del Rey ties settled after extra time.
Athletic travel to Catalonia sitting seventh with 17 points, snapping a run of three straight defeats with their narrow win over Real Oviedo.
Ernesto Valverde’s side have shown flashes of quality but still lack consistency, scoring six times in their last five league outings while keeping just one clean sheet.
They also make the trip without travelling supporters, as Barcelona have blocked visiting fans for safety reasons.
Team news for Barcelona v Athletic Club
Barcelona’s injury list remains lengthy, though a few key players are edging towards full availability. Marc-Andre ter Stegen (back) and Pedri (hamstring) are still sidelined, but Raphinha has returned to training and could feature from the bench.
Joan Garcia is set to start in goal after recovering from a knee issue, while Andreas Christensen is also fit again. In midfield, Frenkie de Jong is suspended following his dismissal against Celta, which could open the door for Marc Casado should he be cleared to play.
Eric Garcia will continue to wear a protective mask, with Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo both ready to start.
Athletic Club arrive without Inaki Williams and Unai Eguiluz, who remain unavailable. Maroan Sannadi is still out, and Benat Prados has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury.
Oihan Sancet is back in training but remains a major doubt, while Yeray Alvarez continues his long suspension. Nico Williams, however, returned with a goal against Oviedo and should be involved again.
Expected line-ups for Barcelona v Athletic Club
Barcelona: J. Garcia; Garcia, Araujo, Cubarsi, Balde; Casado, Olmo, Lopez; Yamal, Lewandowski, Rashford
Athletic Club: Simon; Berchiche, Laporte, Vivian, Gorosabel; Jauregizar, Ruiz de Galarreta; N. Williams, Sanchez, Berenguer; Guruzeta
How to watch Barcelona v Athletic Club: TV channel, online stream
The match will kick-off at 3:15pm GMT and is available to watch on La Liga TV, or Premier Sports player.
The stats for Barcelona v Athletic Club
- Barcelona return to Camp Nou for the first time in 909 days
- Restricted capacity on reopening: 45,000 seats
- Barcelona have scored a league-high 32 goals
- They have conceded in 10 consecutive matches
- Athletic have won twice in their last 10 meetings with Barcelona (both in Copa del Rey, both after extra time)
- Athletic have kept one clean sheet in their last five league games
Prediction
Barcelona
Athletic Club
The atmosphere surrounding Barcelona’s return to Camp Nou should provide Flick’s side with an added spark, especially in attacking areas. Athletic have shown improvement in spells but remain unpredictable and are missing several important players. Barcelona’s firepower should be enough to deliver a comfortable home win.
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