2021/22 Spanish LaLiga
Matchday 2 of 38
Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona
San Mames
Bilbao, Spain
Saturday, 21 August 2021
Kick-off is at 22:00 CAT
FC Barcelona will be aiming to build on their positive start to the post Lionel Messi era when they take aim at Athletic Bilbao in a 2021/22 Spanish LaLiga fixture on Saturday evening.
Bilbao got their campaign up and running with a 0-0 draw at Elche as their struggles towards the back end of last season creeped into the new season. Los Leones are now winless in five LaLiga matches.
Barcelona started life without Messi with a 4-2 win over Real Sociedad. Martin Braithwaite continued his inspired run of form with a well-taken brace, but despite the result, Blaugrana manager Ronald Koeman admitted that he’d still prefered to have been able to call on Messi.
“Hey, if I had to choose, I would still prefer to have Leo Messi in my team,” said Koeman.
“We no longer have a player who can decide the fate of matches on his own — now it will be a collective effort.”
Barcelona completed a league double of Bilbao last season. The Catalan club won 3-2 in Bilbao before a 2-1 win at the Camp Nou in the reverse fixture.
Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona head-to-head statistics:
Matches played: 72
Athletic Bilbao wins: 12
FC Barcelona wins: 46
Draws: 14
Spanish LaLiga fixtures, matchday 2:
Friday, 20 August
21:00 – Real Betis vs Cadiz
Saturday, 21 August
17:00 – Alaves vs Mallorca
19:30 – Granada vs Valencia
19:30 – Espanyol vs Villarreal
22:00 – Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona
Sunday, 22 August
17:00 – Real Sociedad vs Rayo Vallecano
19:30 – Atletico Madrid vs Elche
22:00 – Levante vs Real Madrid
Monday, 23 August
20:00 – Getafe vs Sevilla
22:00 – Osasuna vs Celta Vigo