Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao
Barcelona will finally play a competitive match at their old stomping grounds after 913 days, as they will host Athletic Bilbao at the partially rebuilt Camp Nou on the 13th matchday of the 2025-26 La Liga campaign.
The Blaugrana are on a two-game winning streak after back-to-back league victories against Elche and Celta Vigo before the November international break. However, Barcelona (28 points) still trail Real Madrid, who haven’t lost in their last five, by three points in the Spanish top-flight standings.
Athletic Bilbao are five notches below Barcelona with 17 points, level with eighth-seeded Getafe. Ernesto Valverde’s side is coming off a 1-0 win against Oviedo, which snapped their three-game winless run.
The Blaugrana need this win badly because they don’t want Los Blancos, who have a winnable match against Girona, to pull away. Meanwhile, Los Leones are fighting for a spot in European football next term.
Talking Points
Key returns for Barcelona
Barcelona’s injury list has eased during the November international break, as some of their key injured players are expected to return for the match against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Spain dropped Lamine Yamal last weekend, as he recently underwent therapy to address his nagging groin injury. The 18-year-old winger was back in training earlier this week and is poised to return to the starting XI. Joan Garcia (knee), Raphinha (hamstring), and Marc Casado (groin) are also back in tow after missing Barcelona’s recent matches.
On the other hand, Marc-Andre ter Stegen (back), Gavi (knee), and Pedri (thigh) are still in the medical room, with the latter expected to be back against Chelsea in their next Champions League contest. Frenkie de Jong is also not available against Athletic Bilbao through suspension, as the Dutchman was sent off against Celta Vigo recently.
With their rotations in flux, head coach Hansi Flick could turn to La Masia for depth. And according to reports, Flick could name Tommy Marquis in the matchday squad, as the young midfielder has trained with the senior team several times already.
Mixed injury news for Athletic Bilbao’s stars
Athletic Bilbao will only have one half of the Williams siblings against Barcelona on Saturday. Nico Williams has been in and out of the side due to a sports hernia, but local reports indicate that he is feeling much better in recent days. On the other hand, Inaki Williams will continue to miss time due to a hamstring tear he sustained last month and is unlikely to be seen before December.
Another key player who is also back in training is Oihan Sancet, who has been recovering from a thigh injury. The 25-year-old forward was Los Leones’ top scorer last term with 15 league goals.
Besides Williams and Sancet, Barcelona will have to be wary of Robert Navarro. The former Mallorca man is Athletic Bilbao’s leading scorer with two league goals thus far.
History
As noted, Barcelona will play in Camp Nou after a two-and-a-half-year hiatus. The Blaugrana last played an official match here on May 28, 2023, a 3-0 victory over Mallorca. The stadium closed immediately afterward to begin the club’s ambitious €1.5 billion redevelopment project, which includes a new roof, expanded hospitality zones, and improved accessibility for the fans.
Since then, Barcelona have rotated between two temporary homes, the Olympic Stadium on Montjuic for the bulk of two seasons, and the smaller Johan Cruyff Stadium at the start of the 2025-26 season. On Saturday, only 45,401 spectators will be admitted, which is less than half of the projected 105,000 capacity, expected to be completed in mid-2027.
Barcelona are undefeated in their last four meetings against Athletic Bilbao, including three consecutive wins last season. Hansi Flick’s men completed a league double over Los Leones via an aggregate tally of 5-1 and won 2-0 against them in the Spanish Supercup semi-final last January.
Betting Tip
The La Liga 2025 odds back Barcelona to extend their winning streak this weekend. The Blaugrana are 1.40 favourites to take maximum points, while Los Leones are 6.00 underdogs, and a draw is at 4.48 in the 1X2 market.
Given their collective firepower, we expect Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao to make an appearance in the La Liga 2025 highlights reel again, with the hosts likely to score more goals. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP bettors can also add Over 2.75 at 1.66 and Total Goal 2-3 at 2.16 to the parlay. Furthermore, a Correct Score of 3-0 in favour of Barcelona – the result of their recent league encounter – could yield a robust payday of 10.50.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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