2 FC Barcelona vs 1 Athletic Club
Barcelona eye back-to-back victories after opening day win.
As FC Barcelona welcomes Athletic Club to Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Saturday evening, the Catalans aim to extend their unbeaten home streak against the Basque side, with Robert Lewandowski leading the charge after a stunning comeback victory in their La Liga opener.
FC Barcelona
Hansi Flick began his La Liga debut with Barcelona on a flying note as the Blaugrana secured a comeback 2-1 victory over Valencia last weekend. Valencia took a narrow lead just before the break courtesy of Hugo Duro's header in the 44th minute.
However, a brace by Robert Lewandowski, including a penalty kick, flipped the game on its head, securing Flick's first competitive win for Barcelona. With the win, Barcelona sits second on the table, tied on points with first-placed Celta Vigo, going into Saturday’s matchday 2 encounter with Athletic Club.
Barcelona are currently enjoying their longest unbeaten streak on home soil against Athletic in La Liga, having gone 22 league games without suffering a home defeat to the Basque-based outfit (19 wins, 3 draws). Additionally, the hosts have scored in each of their last 39 home league games against Saturday's opponents, accumulating a massive 108 goals.
They will look to score as many goals as possible against Athletic Club's fragile defence, which has conceded as many as 15 goals in their last eight games. In addition, Barcelona are on an impressive run in the league, having won their last five La Liga games, including the final four from the previous season and last weekend’s league opener against Valencia.
They will be looking to extend their five-game winning run when they host Athletic Club this weekend. Flick is expected to keep the familiar 4-3-3 formation, with Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha in attack.
Meanwhile, Dani Olmo, who is yet to play for the club, is unavailable for Saturday’s fixture. Additionally, İlkay Gündoğan has departed for his former club, Manchester City, on a free transfer after spending a season with Barcelona.
Athletic Club
Athletic Club are coming off a disappointing 1-1 draw against Getafe in last weekend’s league opener, leaving the Red and Whites in 16th place. Despite winning their previous two league games in the 2023/24 season, Ernesto Valverde's men failed to meet expectations last time out, having surrendered a first-half one-goal lead from Oihan Sancet's 24-yard curler.
They will now travel to Barcelona for this weekend’s encounter, hoping to earn at least a point on the trip. However, Athletic Club face a huge test against Barcelona, who have scored nine goals in their last three home league games.
Additionally, the visitors have won just one of their last 21 meetings against the hosts. Valverde is expected to deploy a 4—2—3—1 formation with Gorka Guruzeta in attack on Saturday.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.