Date and Time: Sunday, March 3, 20:00 GMT
Venue: San Mames
Team Overview
Athletic Club Looking to Return to Winning Ways After 1-3 Defeat at Real Betis Last Time Out
Athletic Bilbao’s fight for the top four suffered a blow last Sunday when they lost 1-3 away to Real Betis. The loss saw Nico Williams sent off in the 40th minute, with Bilbao going 2-0 down at this point.
Although they pulled a goal back through Gorka Guruzeta at the end of the first half, they ended up losing and dropping three points in the top-four chase.
The loss ended a four-match unbeaten streak for Athletic Club in La Liga that saw them close in on a top-four place. They will need to regain their form, solidity, and potency in the final third when they visit an in-form Barcelona side on Sunday.
| Recent Form | LWDWD |
| Key Players to Watch | Midfielders B. Prados and Ruiz de Galarreta |
| Team Strengths | Solidity off the ball and pacey transition attacks |
| Team Weaknesses | Inability to control the match off the ball |
Barcelona Looking to Push for a Late Title Charge
Barcelona are unbeaten in the last five outings in La Liga, winning five times with one draw. This fine run of form is highlighted in the football bet predictions backing them to win away at San Mames on Sunday.
Xavi Hernandez’s side will look to extend the form they showed in the 4-0 demolition of Getafe last time out in La Liga.
They scored four goals and kept a clean sheet, which will be pivotal against a dangerous Athletic Club side and make them favorites in football predictions.
| Recent Form | WWDWW |
| Key Players to Watch | Gundogan and Frankie de Jong |
| Team Strengths | Superiority on the ball |
| Team Weaknesses | Vulnerable on the counter-attacks |
Head-to-Head Statistics
Athletic Club and Barcelona have met each other 18 times in all competitions since 2017.
Barcelona are dominant in this fixture, winning 10 times and scoring 32 goals, with Athletic winning five times and scoring 17 goals in the process. Three matches between them during this period ended in draws.
In their last five matches, Barcelona has won four times with Athletic winning once. This trend highlights Barcelona as the football pick to win this match on Sunday.
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| Athletic Club | Draw | Barcelona |
| 5 | 3 | 10 |
| Statistics | ||
| 17 | Goals | 32 |
| 38 | Yellow cards | 39 |
| 0 | Red cards | 2 |
| Last Matches | ||
| Athletic Club | 4-2 | Barcelona |
| Barcelona | 1-0 | Athletic Club |
| Athletic Club | 0-1 | Barcelona |
| Barcelona | 4-0 | Athletic Club |
| Barcelona | 4-0 | Athletic Club |
Player Focus
This match will be keenly contested between the two sides. Both managers will set up their sides with attacking and tactical control in mind. This will result in a closely contested clash.
B. Prados and Ruiz de Galarreta
The two deep-lying Athletic Club midfielders will be pivotal in handing the team control while destroying the dominance of Barcelona in the middle of the pack. Free football predictions indicate that the midfield will be the most important part of the pitch in this match.
Gundogan and Frankie de Jong
The Barcelona midfield is the engine room for their control and domination of matches. Expert soccer predictions show that Gundogan and de Jong will be charged with the responsibility to recycle the ball, progress it to attack and open up the Athletic Club defense.
Tactical Analysis
Athletic Club will adopt a mixed approach between pragmatism when they are out of possession and rapid attacks when they are in possession. This will allow them to be defensively compact while posing an attacking threat.
Barcelona will adopt a ball-based possession-heavy approach against Athletic Club. This will allow them to dominate the match and set the tempo of the match.
Athletic Club vs. Barcelona Expert Analysis
Football predictions analysis shows that this match will be tactically intensive with two sides pinning their hopes of controlling the clash.
Athletic Club will retain their 4-2-3-1 variant, allowing them to pack the midfield, play deep and compact when they must, and launch rapid attacks when they win the ball.
Barcelona’s 4-3-3 will be employed to give them control of the midfield with de Jong and Gundogan in charge of the guile and creativity from the middle of the pack.
Betting Odds
Pre-match odds on 22bet indicate that this match will be closely contested with Barcelona slightly edging the odds with 2.39 to Athletic Club’s 2.8. A draw is available at 3.6 odds. 22bet will offer live prediction football after kickoff on Sunday.
| Athletic Club | Draw | Barcelona |
| 2.8 | 3.6 | 2.39 |
Athletic Club will look to leverage the San Mames support to create a positive atmosphere and put Barcelona under pressure. Barcelona will crave control in this match as their way to a win.
Barcelona are on a good run of form; they will eke out a close win at San Mames on Sunday.
Disclaimer:
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