Barcelona saw their lead at the top of La Liga cut to a point on Friday night, but they can take it back to four with victory over Athletic Club on Saturday. Hansi Flick’s side travel to San Mames on the back of being knocked out of the Copa del Rey in midweek, and they will hope to put that disappoint behind them quickly.
It was a mammoth effort from the Catalans to bring their four-goal deficit from the first leg defeat to Atletico Madrid down to one in the return fixture on Tuesday, and the physical and mental effects have taken their toll. With a trip to Newcastle United on the horizon, Hansi Flick will need to consider resting some of his key players – including Pedri and Raphinha.
Sport say that Pedri will be named in the line-up to face Athletic, while MD have predicted that the superstar midfielder will be on the bench. However, both agree that Raphinha will be on the bench, with Marcus Rashford taking his place on the left wing.
In defence, the expectation is that Eric Garcia will return to the line-up in place of the injured Jules Kounde, in what would be the only change from the Atleti match. If that is the case, Gerard Martin would be preferred to Ronald Araujo once again, while at the top of the pitch, Robert Lewandowski is poised to start ahead of Ferran Torres.
How will Athletic line up?
Despite having Andono Gorosabel, Jesus Areso and Inigo Lekue available, Sport believe that Dani Vivian will start at right-back, with Aymeric Laporte and Aitor Paredes in the centre of defence. Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta would partner Mikel Jauregizar and Oihan Sancet in midfield, while Inaki Williams and Alex Berenguer would flank Gorka Guruzeta in attack.
Flick is hoping to overcome Barcelona’s injury woes to secure another victory in La Liga. San Mames is a notoriously difficult venue for any side, and this will be the case again on Saturday in spite of Athletic’s poor season. The Catalans won’t have it all their own way in their pursuit of re-establishing their four-point buffer in the title race.
