The Catalans begin their title defence from a position of strength: Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao prediction
The second-round La Liga match between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao will take place on 27 August at Camp Nou. The reigning champions began the new season with a 5-0 thrashing of Elche, while the Basque side lost 3-1 to Sevilla and now travel to face an opponent they have lost to in each of their last six meetings.
Barcelona: the champions hit top gear straight away
Hansi Flick's side made a brilliant start to the league campaign, giving Elche no chance away from home. Raphinha scored twice, new signing Karim Adeyemi found the net on the opening weekend, and Fermín López added another two goals, underlining the enormous depth of Barcelona's attacking options.
Barcelona won the title last season with 94 points and 95 goals scored, while the squad was strengthened further over the summer. Their home record against Athletic is particularly impressive: the Basque side have not beaten the Catalans at Camp Nou in their last 15 La Liga meetings there.
Athletic Bilbao: new coach immediately facing problems
The start of Edin Terzić's reign has been difficult: after three consecutive defeats at the end of pre-season, Athletic lost 3-1 at home to Sevilla. The match effectively took a turn for the worse as early as the 11th minute following Yuri Berchiche's dismissal, and by the 57th minute the Basque side were three goals down.
Despite enjoying long spells of possession and registering more shots, the hosts were unable to get back into the game. Their head-to-head record is even more concerning: Athletic have scored just one goal in their last six meetings with Barcelona, losing all six by an aggregate score of 17-1.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Barcelona have won their last six matches against Athletic by an aggregate score of 17-1.
- The Basque side have not beaten the Catalans at Camp Nou in their last 15 La Liga meetings.
- Barcelona thrashed Elche 5-0 in the opening round, while Athletic lost 3-1 to Sevilla.
The hosts' attack looks too powerful: Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao prediction
Athletic face an extremely difficult match at a time when the team are still adapting to the demands of a new coach. Defensive absences and Berchiche's suspension further complicate the task against an attack that already showed excellent form on the opening weekend.
Barcelona currently have too many options going forward, while historically this has been a very difficult fixture for the Basque side. Given the current balance of power, the hosts look like favourites not only to win, but also to keep another clean sheet.
