Barcelona are strong favorites to win the La Liga title and would move five points clear of Clásico rivals Real Madrid if they win their game in hand. But for now, that lead is just two points, and they remain two adrift of an Atlético Madrid side that continues to put up an admirably strong fight at the top of the table. In short: Barça can't afford to let themselves get complacent. This weekend they face a tough match against Athletic Bilbao, who are currently up in eighth place. It could be closer than you'd expect.
Barcelona vs. Athletic Bilbao 2016 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to La Liga online
Athletic Bilbao will be hoping to cause an upset on their trip to Barcelona’s Camp Nou on Sunday.
Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Athletic have delivered consistently strong results under Ernesto Valverde, and they are once again engaged in a battle for European football relevance. Despite their Basques-only transfer policy, Athletic are good with remarkable consistency, and they won 5-1 on aggregate against Barça in the Super Cup at the start of the season. Their Catalan opponents certainly know the risk of taking the challenge lightly.
Key player: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
It's possible to pick just about any one of Barcelona's front three and describe them as a key player, though this week we've gone for recent Ballon d'Or winner, Lionel Messi. He's still the best player on the planet, with an unparalleled close control and devastating ability to ghost past defenders. He's capable of creating something from nothing, and against well-organized teams, sometimes that's the difference between winning and not.
Recent history
Despite Athletic Bilbao's success in the Super Cup at the start of the season, Barcelona have generally managed to get the better of them over the last few years. Including a 1-0 win in the reverse fixture back in August and a 3-1 win in last season's Copa del Rey final, Barça have won five of their last seven matches against the Basques. It should be a closely-fought contest, but there's no doubting who are the big favorites.
Barcelona injuries and suspensions
Out: Rafinha (knee). In doubt: None.
Athletic Bilbao injuries and suspensions
Out: Ibai Gómez (thigh); Raúl García (knee); Aritz Aduriz (suspended). In doubt: Gorka Elustondo (knock).
Barcelona’s only absentee will be midfielder Rafinha, who is sidelined with a long-term knee problem. The same can’t be said of Athletic: they’re without a few important first-teamers, including top scorer Aduriz. The good news is center back Elustondo could recover from a knock in time to make the squad.
Match date/time: Sunday, 2:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. local
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
TV: beIN Sports (US and Canada - English); beIN Sports en Español (US and Canada - Spanish); Sky Sports 4/HD (UK)
Online: beIN Sports Connect (US and Canada); fuboTV (US); Sky Go (UK)
See More:
