Lamine Yamal cried on the Barcelona bench after being substituted at Elche on 23 August. His side had just won 5-0. That is the sort of week Hansi Flick is dealing with — a champion side winning easily while its best-paid teenager sulks — and Athletic Club arrive at the Camp Nou on Thursday 27 August 2026 with problems of their own. This is the delayed Matchday 1 fixture, so Barcelona open their title defence having already thumped somebody.
Team Form
Barcelona were far too good at Elche. Raphinha and Fermín López scored two apiece, and summer signing Karim Adeyemi added the fifth. Robert Lewandowski has gone, which leaves teenager Hamza Abdelkarim to lead the line, and on that evidence Flick barely needs a No.9 at all. Barcelona have won La Liga in each of the last two seasons. Nothing about the opening 90 minutes suggested a third is beyond them.
Elche 0️⃣ – 5️⃣ Barça
👌 @Midea | #LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/99XNc1hW03
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 25, 2026
Athletic Club are in a different position entirely. Edin Terzić took over this summer, ending Ernesto Valverde’s long second spell, and his first competitive match at San Mamés ended in a 1-3 defeat to Sevilla on 22 August. Athletic have one win, one draw and three defeats in their last five completed matches, with seven scored and 10 conceded. A German manager learning a famously particular club, a Basque-only recruitment policy and a trip to the Camp Nou in week one. It is not the kindest introduction.
What is at stake is mood more than points. Barcelona want a statement that answers the Yamal noise. Athletic want anything that suggests Terzić has a plan.
Team News & Injuries
Gavi limped out of the Elche win at half-time with what looked like a knee ligament problem. Scans showed only a bruise, and the 20-year-old is expected to be available. Pedri replaced him and will likely start regardless.
Frenkie de Jong and Roony Bardghji are out for knee injuries, and Rodri is lacking match fitness.
Athletic’s concerns centre on Nico Williams, who has spent much of the past 18 months managing recurring groin and pubalgia trouble. He came off the bench against Sevilla, replacing his brother Iñaki, and missed a good chance from an Oihan Sancet pass. Whether Terzić trusts him from the start is the question of the week. Unai Egiluz suffers a knee injury, and Yuri Berchiche is out because of a red card.
Predicted Line-ups
Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Flick started Raphinha, Fermín López and Lamine Yamal at Elche and got 5-0. He has no reason to change the front line. Adeyemi’s goal on debut earns him more minutes, Pedri returns in place of Gavi, and Abdelkarim continues through the middle. Expect the same 4-2-3-1 and a high line that Athletic will be tempted to run at.
Barcelona: Garcia – Kounde, Garcia, Martin, Cancelo – Bernal, Pedri – Yamal, Fermin, Adeyemi – Raphinha
Athletic Club (4-2-3-1): Terzić has spent one competitive match watching his side ship three at home. Sancet is the creative pivot, Iñaki Williams the runner, and Nico Williams the wildcard. If Nico starts, Athletic have a chance of hurting Barcelona in transition. If he does not, this becomes a containment exercise.
Athletic Club: Simon – Boiro, Paredes, Laporte, Areso – Canales, Gerenabarrena – N. Williams, Sancet, I. Williams – Guruzeta
The key battle
Lamine Yamal against Athletic’s left-back. This is the fixture where Yamal usually announces himself, and after Sunday he has something to prove to his own bench. Terzić must decide whether to double up on that flank, which invites Raphinha to isolate a full-back on the other side, or leave a defender one-on-one with the most dangerous winger in Spain. Neither answer is good.
The second issue is Athletic’s shape without the ball. Sevilla scored three at San Mamés. Barcelona create more chances than Sevilla and finish them faster.
Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao – Predictions & tips
Athletic have beaten Barcelona at the Camp Nou before, and their supporters travel better than most. That is where the case for an upset ends. Barcelona have scored five in their opening match, have their squad essentially intact, and are playing a side whose new manager has had one competitive fixture to install his ideas. Barcelona are 4/11 for a reason.
Athletic will get a goal — they usually do against Flick’s high line — but they will concede more than they score, comfortably.
Tip: Barcelona win + over 3.5 goals. Predicted score: Barcelona 4-1 Athletic Club.
18+. Please gamble responsibly. Odds quoted at time of writing (Barcelona 4/11, draw 7/2, Athletic Club 13/2) and subject to change. BeGambleAware.org / GamCare.
