7M - Exciting La Liga Showdown: Barcelona Aims for Three Points at Athletic Bilbao

Barcelona will be looking to secure their third consecutive win in La Liga as they travel to Athletic Bilbao on Saturday evening, March 7, 2026. Hansi Flick's side currently sits atop the league table, holding a four-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid, while Athletic occupies ninth place, five points behind sixth-placed Celta Vigo.

Match Preview

Athletic Bilbao enters this fixture after suffering a disappointing 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final, resulting in a 2-0 aggregate exit. This defeat means the Lions can now concentrate solely on their league campaign, where they have impressively gathered 10 points from their last four matches, including victories over Levante, Real Oviedo, and Elche, plus a draw against Rayo Vallecano.

Currently sitting ninth in La Liga, Athletic finds themselves 16 points adrift of the top four, making a Champions League qualification seem unlikely for the upcoming season. However, they have performed well at home this season, accumulating 23 points from 13 matches.

Historically, Athletic has struggled against Barcelona, losing their last five encounters, including a heavy 5-0 defeat in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals earlier this year. They have not beaten Barcelona since January 2024 during the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.

For their part, Barcelona faced Atletico Madrid in their own Copa del Rey semi-final this week, managing a 3-0 victory at home, but still being eliminated after losing the first leg 4-0. Nonetheless, Barcelona comes into this match on the heels of two league wins against Villarreal and Levante, recovering from a recent setback against Girona.

With a remarkable record of 21 wins from 26 league matches this season, Barcelona boasts one of the best offensive records in the league, having scored 71 goals.

Team News

Athletic Bilbao will once again be without Yeray Alvarez due to suspension, alongside injuries to Nico Williams, Benat Prados, Unai Egiluz, and Maroan Sannadi. Despite their recent loss, no new injuries have been reported, and Ernesto Valverde is expected to maintain a consistent lineup, possibly introducing Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta in midfield.

For Barcelona, Robert Lewandowski has returned to training after a fractured eye socket and could feature in the squad. However, they will miss Andreas Christensen, Jules Kounde, Alejandro Balde, Frenkie de Jong, and Gavi due to various injuries. Joao Cancelo and Gerard Martin are likely to start in defense, while 18-year-old Marc Bernal has been in excellent form and is set for another midfield appearance.

Possible Lineups:

Athletic Bilbao: Simon; Vivian, Paredes, Laporte, Boiro; Rego, Ruiz de Galarreta; I. Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Guruzeta.

Barcelona: J. Garcia; Cancelo, Cubarsi, E. Garcia, Martin; Bernal, Pedri; Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; F. Torres.

Prediction: Athletic Bilbao 1-2 Barcelona

While Athletic is enjoying solid form in La Liga, Barcelona's attacking prowess may ultimately provide them with the edge needed to claim all three points on the road this weekend.