Athletic Club vs FC Barcelona: Match preview | La Liga | OneFootball

FC Barcelona remain at the top of the league table for now, but they cannot afford to get complacent. For that reason, the upcoming clash against Athletic Club could prove to be a massive game considering the stakes.

With this being their game in hand, Barça will need a win at the San Mames to increase their lead at the top of the table to four points. However, any kind of slip-ups here could prove to be very costly as well.

Match details

Match overview:

At the moment, Barça is in first place in La Liga while Athletic Club is currently sitting in ninth place. Both teams really need the points in this game, but the Catalan giants also come into this match with the right kind of form and mentality.

Their previous outing was against Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey, and it was a game in which they needed to mount an almost impossible comeback after losing 4-0 in the first leg of their tie. Unfortunately, they were only able to win the second leg with a 3-0 victory, narrowly missing out on what would have been a historic comeback.

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

However, more than the result itself, it was the performance that has captivated the hearts and belief of Barça fans around the world. Dominant, always in control, and dangerous in front of goal,  Barcelona played like a team possessed in that game.

With that kind of momentum, and three wins in their last three games, Hansi Flick’s side will look to do even better moving forward. Having scored 10 goals in their last three games and having conceded just one goal across that same time span, the Catalan giants will be determined to keep that form going.

Athletic Club, on the other hand, have just two wins in their last five games. Their last two games have also seen them lose to Real Sociedad and draw to Rayo Vallecano respectively. However, they will want to get a positive result here in front of their home supporters.

Still, their goalscoring prowess and defensive structure have not been particularly convincing as of late. Having scored only five goals in their last five games, they have simultaneously conceded five goals as well across that same period.

Ultimately, however, form is of no consequence or meaning when a game like this happens. Both teams will be determined to grab all three points for themselves, but Barcelona simply cannot afford to lose here or drop points for that matter either.