| Barcelona vs Athletico | |
| MATCH | La Liga |
| DATE | 28 - 08 - 2026 |
| TIME | 12.30 AM IST |
| STADIUM | Camp Nou |
Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao Match Preview
Barcelona will look to build on their impressive start to the new La Liga campaign when they welcome Athletic Bilbao for their next league fixture.
Hansi Flick's side immediately showed their title credentials on the opening weekend, cruising to a 5-0 victory away against Elche. Raphinha opened the scoring before new signing Karim Adeyemi added his name to the scoresheet. Raphinha then grabbed his second of the afternoon, while Fermin Lopez completed the emphatic victory with two goals.
Barcelona were dominant last season, securing the league title with 94 points after scoring 95 goals. With their attacking options strengthened further during the summer, Flick's team once again look capable of mounting a serious challenge for the championship.
The Catalan giants also have an outstanding record against Athletic Bilbao at home. Barcelona have gone unbeaten in their last 15 La Liga meetings with Athletic at Camp Nou, giving the hosts plenty of confidence heading into Thursday's encounter.
Athletic, meanwhile, are beginning a new chapter under Edin Terzic following Ernesto Valverde's departure. Their preparations have been far from ideal, with the Basque side losing their final three pre-season matches and conceding seven goals.
Their problems continued on the opening weekend as they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Sevilla. Yuri Berchiche's early red card left Athletic with a difficult task, and Sevilla quickly took advantage by scoring through Oso before Chidera Ejuke and Isaac Romero extended the visitors' advantage.
Aitor Paredes pulled one back in the second half, but Athletic could not complete the comeback despite enjoying periods of possession and registering more shots than Sevilla.
Recent meetings with Barcelona provide little encouragement for Terzic's side. Athletic have lost their last six matches against the Catalans, scoring just once during that run while conceding 17 goals.
Barcelona also won the most recent meeting 1-0 at San Mames in March 2026, following a 5-0 Super Cup victory and a 4-0 La Liga triumph in their previous two encounters.
Team News
Barcelona could welcome Rodri back into the squad after the midfielder returned to training following a minor back operation. His potential debut would provide Flick with another quality option in midfield.
Frenkie de Jong remains unavailable due to a knee ligament injury, while Gavi is expected to return soon after suffering a knee bruise during the victory over Elche.
Athletic will be without Unai Eguiluz, Daniel Vivian and Nico Serrano because of injuries. Berchiche is also suspended after receiving a red card against Sevilla.
Unai Simon will be hoping for a stronger performance after conceding three times on the opening weekend. Aymeric Laporte and Nico Williams were introduced from the bench in that match, and Williams could be considered for a starting role against Barcelona.
With Barcelona entering the game full of confidence and Athletic still adjusting to their new era, the hosts appear to have the advantage. Athletic's pace on the counter could cause problems, but Barcelona's attacking quality and excellent home record make them strong favourites.
Prediction: Barcelona 3-1 Athletic Bilbao
