In this article…
Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao
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Kick Off: Saturday 24th August at 18:00
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Competition: La Liga
It was a historic previous campaign for Athletic Club, as Ernesto Valverde delivered the Copa del Rey via a penalty shootout against Mallorca in the final.
The manager will return to his former club, Barcelona, where he spent three years before being sacked following a poor run. In the home dugout will be Hansi Flick to take charge of his first home game at the Nou Camp, in search of back-to-back wins.
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Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao Best Bets
➡️ Both teams to score @ 1.73 with Paddy Power
➡️ Robert Lewandowski to score anytime @ 2.0 with Paddy Power
Both teams to score landed in gameweek one for both clubs. Athletic Club struggled in this matchup last season, but Barcelona are not yet at their full strength, presenting an opportunity to exploit.
Given how Valencia were able to apply pressure in the final third, Bilbao should be able to also find success. Both teams to score at 1.73 is a price that stands out.
Robert Lewandowski returned with a brace against Valencia, playing the full 90 minutes. He accumulated 1.82 xG from four shots, including a penalty kick. The Hansi Flick system caters perfectly to his strengths, as the Polish international spends most of his time in the opposition penalty area.
He managed his most successful campaign to date under Hansi Flick, with 41 goals in 29 Bundesliga games back in the 2020/21 season. With that in mind, Robert Lewandowski to score anytime at 2.0 looks well worth taking.
📂 Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao Cheat Sheet
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📊 Barcelona Form and Stats
Hansi Flick got off to a positive start as Barcelona manager, coming from a goal behind to claim victory over Valencia. Los Ches were able to fashion some high-quality chances against Barcelona, particularly in the first half, creating 1.01 xG from six shots before taking the lead through Hugo Duro.
Barcelona responded strongly, equalising just prior to the break, and taking the lead not long after the second half. Robert Lewandowski bagged both goals, as Flick’s men amassed 3.22 xGF from 18 shots.
Under the management of Flick, Barcelona games have seen an uptick in goals, owing to a more expansive play style. They are more aggressive in their press, direct in their approach and squeeze their opponents with a high line.
Both teams scored in three out of four pre-season games, with over 2.5 match goals in all four. Barcelona will be boosted by the return of Pedri, who featured off the bench against Valencia. He looks set to start alongside 20-year-old La Masia graduate Marc Casado, who was impressive last time out.
📊 Athletic Bilbao Form and Stats
Athletic Club looked rusty in their season opener against Getafe, managing just 0.33xGF from seven shots. It’s worth noting, however, that Nico Williams played just the final 20 minutes of the game, and brought an instant improvement. His presence on the field coincided with the greatest spell of momentum for Bilbao.
The Spanish winger seems to have resisted links with a move away and should be set to start in this game. After his most successful campaign last season, in which Nico Williams recorded five goals and 11 assists, he followed that up with stellar performances at Euro 2024.
The 22-year-old is playing at the peak of his powers and will be eager to continue to impress, particularly against the club he was most strongly linked with. He has been handed the number 10 shirt, taken from the legendary Iker Muniain, highlighting his importance in the upcoming campaign.
⚔️ Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao Head-to-Head
Athletic Club failed to score against Barcelona in the league last season, losing 1-0 at the Camp Nou before a goalless stalemate in Bilbao. They fared much better in the Copa del Rey, overcoming Barcelona in extra-time thanks to goals from Nico Williams and Inaki Williams. That victory saw them progress to the semi-final where they beat Atletico Madrid, before facing Mallorca in the final
Barcelona have generally had the upper hand in this matchup in the league, as they last lost to Athletic Club back in August 2019. Last time at the Nou Camp, Marc Guiu secured victory for the Catalans following a late goal.
There was little to report on for Athletic Club, as they mustered up just 0.44xGF from ten shots. That result does not bode well for them, given that Barcelona managed to win even without the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Pedri and Jules Kounde.
* We recommend waiting for confirmed team line-ups before placing any bets.
* All odds displayed correct at the time of publishing.
Written by an Andy verified content writer
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