Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao Club

Barcelona will face an athletic Bilbao club in La Liga today. This will be the 3rd match between the two teams in January this year. When they continue their 2020-21 campaign at home to a revitalized Athletic Bilbao on Sunday night, Barcelona will be aiming to achieve five La Liga victories in a row. Athletic Defeated Barca In Supercopa Final

The side of Ronald Koeman has gained 12 points from their last four games to move to third place in the table. but they are still 10 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid, who also have a game in hand as well.

Team News

Barcelona:

The changes from the side that faced Rayo Vallecano in the midweek Copa del Rey tie are expected. The Manger will also be boosted by   Sergi Roberto's return.

The Spaniard is back in full training and the green light may be given for the clash on Sunday. Oscar Mingueza, whose lack of attacking ability has passively cooled Barcelona's overall approach, Roberto is likely to replace him. Similarly, on the opposite flank, Jordi Alba is expected to replace Junior Firpo, following an appearance against Rayo Vallecano off the bench.

Ronald Araujo is a top defender after arguably become the most impressive performer in the recent week for Barca. In the center of the Barcelona defense, his ability to respond to danger could come in very handy alongside Samuel Umtiti as the two aim to provide a defense to returning goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.


Sergio Busquets is suspended due to a yellow card against Rayo Vallecano.    In the number six slot, Miralem Pjanic is the ideal replacement. In a Barcelona midfield that could feature youngsters like Frenkie de Jong and Pedri, his calm, positioning sense, and overall solidity could be crucial.


Both Pedri and de Jong is likely to step out and help the attackers in Barca, with Pedri expected to act more often as a number ten in general. During defensive phases, it could see Barcelona moving into a 4-2-3-1, but it also has the ability to transform into a 4-4-2, with Pedri joining Lionel Messi in the first line of press.



After returning to the pitch, the Argentine was involved in both the goals in the victory over Rayo Vallecano. Messi had picked up a red card the last time he faced Athletic, so this weekend, along with his usual attacking partners in Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele, he will be hoping to make things right with a better display.


Athletic Club Bilbao:

Marcelino rested a host of key players when his team was up against Alcoyano in the middle of the week. It is expected that all those changes will be reversed, with Raul Garcia, for one, coming in at the expense of Asier Vilalibre.


The former star of Atletico Madrid will be the main force of the Athletic attack, with additional support from a reinforced creative unit, including Iker Muniain and Inaki Williams. The latter is prepared to feature alongside Garcia, thus forming the second press line, while Oscar de Marcos could get a node ahead of Alex Berenguer.



The classic 4-4-2 by Marcelino should also see Unai Vencedor and Dani Garcia from the double pivot. Both will play a key role in stopping the players in Barcelona from controlling the game in the center of the park. And with Barcelona likely to deploy a three-man center, it's no surprise that Muniain performs more centrally in an attempt to cancel out the numerical superiority that hosts can enjoy.


Defensively, the back four of them, consisting of Ander Capa, Yeray Alvarez, Unai Nunez, and Yuri Berchiche, should defend themselves in deep blocks, seeking to thwart the opposition. It will be equally important that they receive adequate support from the two central middlemen during the defensive phase.


Probable Lineups:


Barcelona(4-2-3-1):

Stegen;mingueza,araujo,lenglet,alba;pjanic,de jong;messi,pedri,dembele;griezmann


Athletic Club Bilbao(4-4-2):

Simon;berchiche,nunez,alvarez,capa;muniain,vencedor,garcia,de marcos;garcia,williams


Predictions:


Barcelona 2-1 Bilbao Athletic

this will not be a simple game for Barcelona as the Blaugrana are still without key players such as Gerard Pique and Ansu Fati. Even so, thanks to the amazing form of Lionel Messi, Pedri, and Frenkie de Jong, they could still secure a decisive win.


Where to watch:

Bein Sports, Eleven la Liga tv, Premier player HD, Premier sports

Watch online:

La-Liga matches are also broadcasted live on Facebook 

so you can watch this match also from La-Liga official Facebook page


When is Match:

Date: 31 January 2021

Time 

 8:00 PM (GMT)

 9:00 PM (CET)