Three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Athletic Club | La Liga GW2 | OneFootball

Only four teams managed to start the 2024-25 La Liga campaign with a win, and Barcelona were one of them.

Having begun their run in the competition with a stunning 2-1 comeback win over Valencia at Mestalla, Hansi Flick’s men will look to keep the momentum going as they step into an even harder match-up this weekend.

Tomorrow night, the Azulgranas take on Athletic Club de Bilbao at Montjuic as part of Matchday 2 of the competition. Considering that they have not won against the Basque side in their last two meetings, it will be a massive challenge for the dressing room.

Ernesto Valverde’s side began their La Liga campaign with a 1-1 draw against Getafe at San Mames last weekend and will be eager to score their first three-pointer against the Catalan opposition.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Athletic Club.

Chance to start afresh

Barcelona have only played one game at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys under Hansi Flick and it is safe to say that it did not go to plan.

The game in question is the Joan Gamper Trophy clash that the Catalans played against AS Monaco earlier this month that served as the team’s official curtain raiser for the new season.

While Barcelona started off strong in front of their home fans on the night, matters got ugly in the second period and all hell broke loose soon enough. Flick’s men collapsed under the pressure in no time and ended up on the wrong side of a 3-0 result.

Tomorrow, Barcelona take to the field at Montjuic for the first time in an official game this season and there is a lot riding on what version of the team shows up in front of the fans.

Already disappointed with the poor result against Monaco on the night that should have served as a positive trailer for things to come, the Blaugrana faithful deserve a game that gives them enough reason to believe in the team.

Needless to say, there are not many better teams than Athletic Club for Flick’s men to drop such a statement performance. The only question is – can they?

The anticlimactic protagonist

All eyes on Nico. (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images)

Had matters panned out differently, Nico Williams would be donning the garnet and blue colours tomorrow facing off against his former side in a bitter-sweet clash.

The Spanish winger was Barcelona and Joan Laporta’s top priority target for the summer and the club’s interest in his acquisition was an open secret. His performance at Euro 2024, needless to say, only added impetus to the Catalans’ objective.

After a long drawn period of endless links, rumours and positive updates, however, Williams quite simply returned to training with his former club with little resistance and was even handed the number 10 shirt as if there was no doubt around his future.

It is still unknown if the player did not arrive owing to a personal decision or Barcelona’s blatantly disastrous financial planning. In either case, he will be a headache on the field tomorrow night and not one in Barcelona’s favour.

Williams is likely to start on the left wing for Athletic Club and will go up against Jules Kounde on the flank.

Needless to say, Flick must make serious improvements in defence for a performance like that against Valencia will only see the Azulgrana ripped apart on Saturday night.

A possible debut for Dani Olmo?

Dani Olmo arrived in Barcelona earlier this month amidst massive hype. After all, the 26-year-old was the joint top-scorer in the recently concluded European Championships and was not a simple signing for Barcelona by any means.

The Blaugrana have shelled out €55 million for the versatile attacking midfielder’s arrival but his registration sent the administration into a new frenzy that resulted in the sale of Ilkay Gundogan and Mikayil Faye.

While it has not been explicitly stated, it is clear that Gundogan’s departure to Manchester City was a manoeuvre only to facilitate Olmo’s registration.

Despite the German midfielder’s sacrifice, however, Olmo’s registration in time for tomorrow’s clash seemed almost impossible with the club still searching for means to lighten their wage bill.

News of Clement Lenglet’s departure to Atletico Madrid in recent hours, however, has reopened the doors to his immediate registration and there is a slight chance he may be available for tomorrow’s clash.

It will thus be interesting to see if Joan Laporta and Co. get Olmo’s registration done in time for the clash against Athletic Club or his debut must wait until match day 3.

If Olmo makes the cut, it will also be interesting to follow how he manages the pressure around his debut especially with the team’s best player from last season leaving the club for his registration.