Match Preview: FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club
Match Preview
FC Barcelona is set to play their second La Liga match of the season this Thursday, hosting Athletic Club at Spotify Camp Nou. This fixture was postponed from the opening round due to both teams having players involved in the latter stages of the World Cup. Barcelona began their campaign with a 5-0 victory against Elche.
The upcoming match will be the first home game of the season for Hansi Flick’s side. Athletic Club, under new coach Edin Terzic, will be looking for a better result after a 3-1 defeat to Sevilla in their opening match. Terzic, like Flick, is a German coach and previously managed Borussia Dortmund.
Team News and Player Focus
Barcelona’s new signings, Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon, made notable debuts in the previous match. Adeyemi scored his first competitive goal, while Gordon contributed two assists in 25 minutes on the field. Rodri, who did not travel for the Elche game, has trained with the squad and could make his debut in front of the home fans.
For Athletic Club, Yuri is suspended following a red card in their last game, although he traveled with the team pending an appeal. Egiluz, Vivian, and Beñat Prados are confirmed absentees. Nico Williams has faced Barcelona in eight matches without contributing to a goal, a record also held against Real Betis. Barcelona is the only opponent he has never beaten in the competition, with one draw and seven defeats.
Historical Dominance and Current Form
Barcelona has maintained a strong record against Athletic Club. At Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona has not lost a home league game against Athletic Club since the 2000/01 season, accumulating 21 wins and three draws since then. This marks their longest home unbeaten run against the Basque side in the top flight, with their last home league defeat to them occurring in November 2001.
Overall, Barcelona has not lost in their last 13 La Liga meetings with Athletic Bilbao, securing 11 wins and two draws, and keeping a clean sheet in eight of the nine most recent games. Their longest unbeaten run against the Basque side in the competition was a 14-match sequence of 10 wins and four draws, dating back to 2013.
Barcelona also boasts a record of 19 consecutive home wins in La Liga, having not been beaten at home since a 2-3 loss to Villarreal in May 2025. This is their longest run of consecutive home victories under the same manager in the competition since Rinus Michels’ run of 21 between 1973 and 1974.
In contrast, Athletic Club arrives in less favorable form, having not won any of their last five La Liga games, with one draw and four losses. They have only taken points from one of their last six away outings, which included one win and five defeats, conceding at least two goals in each of those trips.
Barcelona recorded a possession rate of 54.4% in their last league game against Elche, their second-lowest in the competition over the past three seasons, with the lowest being 49% against the same opponent in November 2025.
Potential Line-ups
Hansi Flick may largely retain the team that secured the victory against Elche, though some minor adjustments are possible. Joan García is expected to start in goal. In defense, Eric Garcia and Xavi Espart are strong candidates at fullback, while Christensen and Gerard Martín are likely to continue as the central defensive pairing.
In midfield, Marc Bernal is anticipated to keep his place alongside Pedri, as Gavi will be rested as a precaution. Rodri is expected to feature in the second half. In attack, Anthony Gordon could replace Karim Adeyemi on the left wing, with Raphinha as the central attacker, Lamine Yamal on the right, and Fermín López operating as the attacking midfielder.
A possible starting Barcelona XI includes: Joan García; Eric Garcia, Christensen, Gerard Martín, Xavi Espart; Marc Bernal, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Fermín López, Anthony Gordon; Raphinha.
If Athletic Club manager Edin Terzic loses this match, he would be the first coach to lose his opening two La Liga games since Ernesto Valverde in 2003-2004.
Source: fcbarcelona.com
Priya Menon 