Atheltic Bilbao v Barcelona
Sunday 10th February 1945hrs
Football – Spain – La Liga
Pick Barcelona
Bookmaker Bet Victor
Odds: 4/5 (odds taken 16.00 GMT, Saturday 9th February)
Barcelona dropped their first points in the league in nine games last weekend and will be looking to get back to winning ways against Athletic, a team they have an excellent recent record against. Betting preview of the contest, below.
Athletic Bilbao Preview
It’s been a frustrating season for Athletic so far in that they have just drawn far too many games. Half of their La Liga games have ended with a share of the points and that’s always going to hinder any ambition to have a successful season. Three wins in their last five matches have enabled them to put some distance between themselves and the bottom three but even at that it’s still only a gap of three points between Athletic and Rayo Vallecano who sit in 18th heading into this weekend’s fixtures. Last weekend’s derby defeat away to Real Sociedad would have understandably hurt but it was their first loss since the start of December and only their sixth all season. To put that into perspective it’s the same number of defeats that Real Madrid have had this season and they sit in third spot at the time of writing. Again, it highlights just how damaging those draws have been although if you said to coach Gaizka Garitano after tomorrow’s game with Barca it would be a dozen draws he would most likely take it.
Key-Facts – Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona
- Barcelona have won nine of the last 11 meetings between these clubs
- The visitors have the best away record in La Liga and have won their last four on the road
- Bilbao have won only five of their 22 league games this season – the lowest of outside the relegation zone
Barcelona Preview
Whilst Ernesto Valverde and his Barcelona team would have been disappointed to drop two points at home to Valencia last weekend, it could have been worse considering they were 2-0 down. Even when they got back to within a goal, their opponents could easily have increased their lead before the eventual equaliser from Lionel Messi – who only continues to underline his importance to this team. Atletico’s loss the following day meant Barca increased their lead and held a six-point advantage at the beginning of the weekend. The games are coming thick and fast for the league leaders who contested the first leg of their Copa Del Rey semi-final against rivals Real Madrid in midweek, a game Messi started on the bench which is a pointer to where Valverde’s priorities lie as Barca will also be returning to European action in a week’s time. Before that it’s all about maintain their lead at the top of La Liga, and continue ticking off the games as they chase what would be their fourth title in five years should they be successful.
Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona Betting Preview
I alluded to Barca’s excellent recent record in this fixture in my introduction and it is an impressive run of form against Athletic who are always very much up for the battle against the Catalans. The league leaders have won nine of the last 11 meetings against their Basque rivals, with Bilbao’s only success during that time coming in the first leg of a Copa Del Rey game a couple of years ago – a tie Barca still went on to win. The hosts will take some confidence from the fact they did secure a point when these two teams met at the Nou Camp earlier in the season, though.
Atheltic are amongst the lowest scorers in La Liga (only 23 goals in 22 games) but they have a decent defensive record and allowed just 12 goals in as many games in their home matches. Barca, as you would expect, have the best away record in the league in terms of points, goals scored and goals conceded so they will travel with confidence. Messi will start and with that it usually means Barcelona win. It’s four successive wins on their travels as well and taking into account their excellent record against this opponent, they visitors are the selection.
