FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club Preview, Prediction & Lineups La Liga 2025/26
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Introduction
This La Liga fixture marks a historic moment: FC Barcelona’s official return to the Spotify Camp Nou after years of renovation. The atmosphere will be electric as the Blaugrana, currently 2nd in the table, look to close the 3-point gap on leaders Real Madrid. Facing them is an Athletic Club side struggling for consistency in 7th place, but always dangerous in big games.
With Hansi Flick’s high-pressing machine firing on all cylinders (despite key injuries) and Ernesto Valverde returning to his former home with a depleted squad, this match promises emotional intensity and tactical intrigue. Can Barca christen their new home with a win, or will the Lions spoil the party?
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Quick Match Info
- Fixture: FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club
- Competition: La Liga (Matchday 14)
- Venue: Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona (Stadium Reopening)
- Date: Saturday, 22 November 2025
- Kickoff Time: 16:15 CET / 15:15 GMT / 20:45 IST
- Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano
- VAR: Carlos del Cerro Grande
- TV Channel (UK): LaLigaTV, Premier Sports
- TV Channel (USA): ESPN+, ESPN Deportes
- TV Channel (India): GXR, Sports18
- Live Stream: ESPN+ (USA), JioStar / FanCode (India)
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Match Context (2025/26 Season)
FC Barcelona:
- Position: 2nd in La Liga with 28 points.
- Form: Mixed recently. A massive 4-2 win vs Celta Vigo bounced them back from tough losses against Real Madrid and Real Sociedad.
- Current Challenge: Navigating an injury crisis in midfield (No Pedri, Gavi, or De Jong) while maintaining pressure on Real Madrid.
Athletic Club:
- Position: 7th in La Liga with 17 points.
- Form: Poor. Coming off a 1-0 win vs Oviedo, but they lost 3 consecutive games before that (including a 2-0 Champions League loss to Newcastle).
- Current Challenge: Playing without their talisman Iñaki Williams and fixing a leaky defense that has conceded in 4 of their last 5 games.
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — What’s at Stake
For FC Barcelona:
- The Homecoming: Winning the first match at the new Camp Nou is non-negotiable for morale.
- Title Charge: With Real Madrid on 31 points, dropping points here could let their rivals pull away to a 6-point lead.
For Athletic Club:
- European Spots: Sitting 7th, they are slipping away from the Champions League places. A result here would reignite their season.
- Valverde’s Revenge: Ernesto Valverde would love nothing more than to silence the stadium that once cheered him.
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Team Form
FC Barcelona (Last 5 Matches):
- W vs Celta Vigo (4-2)
- D vs Club Brugge (3-3)
- W vs Elche (3-1)
- L vs Real Madrid (1-2)
- W vs Olympiacos (6-1)
Athletic Club (Last 5 Matches):
- W vs Oviedo (1-0)
- L vs Newcastle (0-2)
- L vs Real Sociedad (2-3)
- L vs Getafe (0-1)
- W vs Qarabag (3-1)
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Team News
FC Barcelona:
- Gavi: Out (Red Card)
- Frenkie de Jong: Out (Will not play – Netherlands duty knock)
- Pedri: Out (Muscle Injury)
- Marc-André ter Stegen: Out (Back Injury)
- Lamine Yamal: Questionable (Groin Injury – Late fitness test)
- Raphinha: Questionable (Thigh Injury)
- Dani Olmo: Available (Expected to start in midfield role)
Athletic Club:
- Iñaki Williams: Out (Groin Injury – Huge loss)
- Yeray Álvarez: Out (Doping suspension)
- Unai Egiluz: Out (Knee Injury)
- Beñat Prados: Out (Knee Injury)
- Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta: Out (Yellow Card Suspension)
- Julen Agirrezabala: Available (Expected to start in goal)
- Nico Williams: Available (The main threat)
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Head to Head
- 26 May 2025: Athletic 0–3 Barcelona
- 09 Jan 2025: Athletic 0–2 Barcelona (Super Cup)
- 24 Aug 2024: Barcelona 2–1 Athletic
- 04 Mar 2024: Athletic 0–0 Barcelona
- 25 Jan 2024: Athletic 4–2 Barcelona (Copa del Rey)
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Predicted Lineups
FC Barcelona (4-2-3-1):
With the entire first-choice midfield out, Flick will rely on La Masia talents Casadó and Fermín.
- GK: Iñaki Peña
- RB: Jules Koundé
- CB: Pau Cubarsí
- CB: Iñigo Martínez
- LB: Alejandro Balde
- CDM: Marc Casadó
- CM: Fermín López (Dropping deeper due to injuries)
- RW: Ferran Torres (Replacing Yamal if unfit)
- CAM: Dani Olmo
- LW: Ansu Fati (or Raphinha if fit)
- ST: Robert Lewandowski
Athletic Club (4-2-3-1):
Without Iñaki Williams, Guruzeta leads the line, and Djaló likely comes onto the wing.
- GK: Julen Agirrezabala
- RB: Óscar de Marcos
- CB: Dani Vivian
- CB: Aitor Paredes
- LB: Yuri Berchiche
- CDM: Mikel Vesga
- CM: Oihan Sancet (Dropping deeper to cover Ruiz de Galarreta)
- RW: Álvaro Djaló
- CAM: Alex Berenguer
- LW: Nico Williams
- ST: Gorka Guruzeta
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Tactical Outlook
FC Barcelona:
- Playing Style: Flick’s “Kamikaze High Line.” Even with a makeshift midfield, expect Barca to press high and condense the pitch. Without Pedri/De Jong to control the tempo, they will be more direct, looking for Olmo to slip through balls to Lewandowski quickly.
- Weakness: Midfield Stability. A pivot of Casadó and Fermín lacks defensive experience. If Athletic bypasses the first press, Barca’s back four will be exposed.
Athletic Club:
- Playing Style: Direct Counter-Attacks. Valverde knows Barca will leave space behind. Without Iñaki’s speed, the burden falls entirely on Nico Williams. Expect them to target Koundé’s flank and look for cutbacks.
- Weakness: Away Form. They have lost 3 of their last 4 away games. Without Iñaki Williams, they lack the outlet to relieve pressure when Barca pins them back.
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Key Battles
| Matchup | Battle Type | Edge |
| Jules Koundé vs. Nico Williams | Tactical Discipline vs. Explosive Speed: Koundé is in form, but Nico is one of the few wingers who can roast him 1v1. This duel decides the game. | Even |
| Marc Casadó vs. Oihan Sancet | Rookie vs. Creator: Casadó has to shackle Sancet. If Sancet finds space in the “hole,” he will punish Barca’s young midfield. | Athletic |
| Robert Lewandowski vs. Dani Vivian | Experience vs. Aggression: Lewy is the master of finding space in the box. Vivian must be physical without fouling. | Barcelona |
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Spotlight Players
Robert Lewandowski (FC Barcelona):
The Polish veteran is the glue holding this injury-ravaged team together. He has scored in 3 of his last 5 games against Athletic. With the Camp Nou crowd behind him, expect him to be desperate to score the first goal in the new stadium.
Nico Williams (Athletic Club):
With his brother Iñaki out, Nico is the main man. He will be double-teamed, but his ability to drive 40 yards with the ball is Athletic’s only real hope of breaking Barca’s high line.
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Statistical Snapshot
| Metric | FC Barcelona | Athletic Club |
| La Liga Position | 2nd (28 Points) | 7th (17 Points) |
| Last 5 Matches | 3W, 1D, 1L | 2W, 3L |
| Goals Scored | 32 | 14 |
| Goals Conceded | 15 | 13 |
| Home/Away Form | 5W, 0L (Home) | 1W, 4L (Away) |
Explanation: Barcelona is a fortress at home (perfect record), while Athletic is woeful away. The stats heavily favor a home win, especially given Athletic’s lack of goals (only 14 all season).
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Fan Reactions
Barcelona Fans:
“Finally back home! The Montjuïc era is over. The players will fly with 100,000 of us screaming.”
“No Pedri, no Gavi, no Frenkie… I’m worried about the midfield, but Casadó has that dawg in him.”
Athletic Club Fans:
“No Iñaki and no Yeray? This is going to be a long afternoon.”
“If Nico turns up, we have a chance. Koundé struggles against pure pace.”
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Where to Watch
- India: JioStar, Sports18, GXR
- UK: LaLigaTV, Premier Sports
- USA: ESPN+, ESPN Deportes
- Spain: DAZN LaLiga, Movistar+
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Match-Defining Factors
- The “New Stadium” Bounce: The adrenaline of playing at the renovated Camp Nou will give Barca an extra gear for the first 20 minutes. Athletic must survive this initial storm.
- Barca’s Make-Shift Midfield: Can Fermín López play disciplined as a pivot? If he wanders too far forward, Athletic will counter through the middle.
- Nico Williams’ Isolation: Without Iñaki, Nico might be isolated. If Barca cuts off the supply line to him, Athletic has no Plan B.
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Prediction
Score Prediction: FC Barcelona 2–0 Athletic Club
Betting Insights:
- Outcome: Barcelona to Win (Camp Nou return + Athletic missing Iñaki Williams).
- Total Goals: Under 3.5 Goals (Athletic struggles to score; Barca missing creative midfielders).
- Corner Count: Over 9.5 Corners (Barca will dominate possession and force wide play).
Analysis: Despite the injuries, Barcelona’s momentum at their “new” home will be unstoppable. Athletic relies too heavily on the Williams brothers partnership; without Iñaki, they lack the teeth to hurt Barca. Lewandowski to score a brace.
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — Final Word
This is more than just a match; it’s a celebration for FC Barcelona. Returning to the Spotify Camp Nou changes the entire dynamic of their season. While Athletic Club is a proud side, their injury list (especially Iñaki Williams and Yeray) combined with their poor away form makes this a mountain too high to climb. Expect a festive atmosphere and a professional, controlled victory for Hansi Flick’s men.
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club — FAQs
When is the Barcelona vs Athletic Club match?
The match kicks off on Saturday, 22 November 2025, at 16:15 CET (20:45 IST).
Is Lamine Yamal playing?
Lamine Yamal is listed as Questionable with a groin injury. He will likely undergo a late fitness test, but Ferran Torres is on standby to replace him.
Where can I watch Barca vs Athletic in India?
You can watch the match live on JioStar, Sports18, or stream it via the GXR app.
Why is Iñaki Williams not playing?
Iñaki Williams is out with a Groin Injury, breaking his incredible run of consistency for Athletic Club.
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