Date & Time: 24th August 2024, 7:00 PM CET
Venue: Estadio Olímpic Lluís Companys
Competition: La Liga 2024/25
After starting off their 2024/25 La Liga campaign in triumphant fashion with an impressive win away at Mestalla, the Catalans have yet another formidable foe to face off against.
Barcelona will be squaring off against the highly consistent Athletic Bilbao, an encounter that has provided us with several competitive matchups over the years. Flick’s men will most certainly have to make a great deal of effort in order to obtain the 3 points that they desire.
Bilbao’s Style of Play
With Ernesto Valverde at the helm, Bilbao have crafted a team that excels in several categories. They are adept at maintaining possession against significantly inferior opposition whom they are able to convincingly defeat.
Additionally, they are also well trained defensively which enables them to negate any type of offensive threats they encounter. This facet of their game proves to be most fruitful when they play the top teams and are greatly reliant on their counter attacking play in order to generate scoring chances.
A fairly adaptable team that possesses an ideal balance of physical rigor, composed technique, and swift dynamism, the visitors will look to bother the Catalans in vast areas across the pitch. Nevertheless, they will be most reliant on their defense and counter attacking abilities in order to win this matchup.
Bilbao’s Recent Form
In their 2024/25 campaign’s opening fixture, Bilbao came out with 1 singular point as they were unable to defeat the defensively robust setup of Getafe in what was a competitive 1-1 draw.
In their pre season, Bilbao played a gargantuan total of 7 games out of which they won 3 and tasted defeat in the remaining 4 games. Across these 7 games, they scored a total of 8 goals and conceded a humongous total of 14 games. The Spanish Club suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Stuttgart and a 3-0 defeat to Sporting during their pre season.
Their pre season calls for a cause of concern as it shows that the 5th placed team in La Liga last season is undergoing some clear struggles.
Bilbao’s Threatening Talents
Los Leones are home to a wide array of talents but some stand out far more than others. First and foremost is Barcelona’s failed intended summer signing, none other than Nico Williams. After the Euros, the world is clearly aware of the threats that Nico possesses on the left wing with his dynamic 1v1 dribbling ability and immense creativity in the Final Third.
Bilbao also possess the defensively rigid presence of Yuri Berchiche, who will most likely be entrusted the responsibility of negating Lamine Yamal’s threat. A matchup that will be fascinating to witness, Yamal cannot underestimate Berchiche’s sense of defensive positioning and his ability to win duels with great frequency.
Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao Recent H2H Results
Bilbao 0-0 Barcelona (La Liga 2023/24)
Bilbao 4-2 Barcelona (Copa Del Rey 2023/24)
Barcelona 1-0 Bilbao (La Liga 2023/24)
Bilbao 0-1 Barcelona (La Liga 2022/23)
Barcelona 4-0 Bilbao (La Liga 2022/23)
