Barcelona is set to host Athletic Bilbao at the Spotify Camp Nou for their second La Liga match of the season. This fixture is a postponed game from the opening round of the season. The team began their campaign last Sunday with a 5-0 victory against Elche.
The club has been preparing for the match, with Hansi Flick overseeing the final training session involving all available first-team players. Flick has stated that the team has a hunger to win.
Team Form and History
Barcelona has maintained a strong record against Athletic Bilbao in La Liga. They have not lost in their last 13 league meetings with Athletic Bilbao, securing 11 wins and two draws. During eight of their nine most recent games, Barcelona has also kept a clean sheet. Their longest unbeaten run against the Basque side in the competition was a 14-match sequence between 2013 and 2014, which included 10 wins and four draws.
At home, Barcelona has an even more dominant record, remaining unbeaten in 24 La Liga games against Athletic Bilbao, with 21 wins and three draws. They have won their last seven home matches against the team. The last time Barcelona lost a home league game to Athletic Bilbao was in November 2001, with a 1-2 scoreline.
Barcelona has also shown a strong performance on Thursdays in La Liga, winning all seven of their matches played on that day. This marks their longest winning streak on a Thursday in the competition. Athletic Bilbao, on the other hand, has not lost in their last four top-flight games on a Thursday, with three wins and one draw, keeping a clean sheet in each of those victories.
The team has not been defeated at home since a 2-3 loss to Villarreal in May 2025, accumulating 19 consecutive home wins in La Liga. This is their longest run of home victories under the same manager in the competition since Rinus Michels achieved 21 wins between 1973 and 1974.
Athletic Bilbao arrives at this match in less favourable form, having not won any of their last five La Liga games, with one draw and four losses. They have also only managed to secure points in one of their last six away matches, which included a single win and five defeats, conceding at least two goals in each of those away trips.
Barcelona has also demonstrated strong defensive capabilities, keeping 10 clean sheets in 2026, which is the highest among La Liga clubs over the past two seasons. Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal have the fewest, with one each.
Squad and Tactical Considerations
For the upcoming match, Hansi Flick is expected to largely retain the team that secured the 5-0 victory against Elche. Joan García is anticipated to start in goal, with Eric Garcia and Xavi Espart likely to continue as fullbacks. The central defensive partnership of Christensen and Gerard Martín is also expected to remain unchanged.
In midfield, Marc Bernal is projected to keep his position alongside Pedri. Gavi will be excluded from the squad as a precautionary measure. Rodri is expected to feature in the second half of the game.
In attack, Raphinha is set to continue as the focal point. Anthony Gordon, who provided two assists in his competitive debut, could potentially replace Karim Adeyemi on the left wing. Lamine Yamal is expected on the right, with Fermín López operating as the attacking midfielder. Barcelona is the only side among Europe’s five major leagues with more than one player scoring 15 goals or more in all competitions during 2026, with Raphinha having 16 and Lamine Yamal 15.
Athletic manager Edin Terzic lost his first match of the season 1-3 to Sevilla. A defeat in this upcoming match would make him the first coach to lose his initial two La Liga games since Ernesto Valverde in 2003-2004.
Barcelona’s possession rate in their last league game against Elche was 54.4%, which is their second-lowest in the competition over the past three seasons, only behind the 49% recorded against the same opponent in November 2025.
Nico Williams has faced Barcelona more often than any other La Liga side without contributing to a goal, having played eight matches against them, a record shared with Real Betis. Barcelona is also the only opponent he has never defeated in the competition, with one draw and seven defeats, alongside Granada, whom he has faced four times resulting in three draws and one defeat.
The UEFA Champions League draw for the 2026/27 edition is scheduled for Thursday, from 6 pm CEST, where Barcelona will discover their opponents in the League Phase.
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Source: goal.com
Priya Patel writes on politics and current affairs for Latest News, reporting on Parliament, policy and the decisions that affect readers across India.
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