Yuri has an opportunity to put a cross into the penalty area, but his tiredness tells as his weak delivery is repelled by the first Barcelona defender.
90' +1
The fourth official indicates four minutes will be added to the end of the 90 for stoppages.
87'
M. Braithwaite enters the game and replaces O. Dembélé.
A striker comes on for a winger as Dembele is replaced by Braithwaite.
86'
The late substitutions have really broken up the match, with every stoppage draining more and more time off the clock. It’s the ideal situation for Barca, who have just four minutes left to go.
84'
Asier Villalibre enters the game and replaces I. Williams.
C. Lenglet enters the game and replaces A. Griezmann.
Lekue enters the game and replaces Capa.
Looking to hold onto the victory, Koeman makes a defensive change, sending Lenglet on for Griezmann.
The previously booked Capa makes way for Lekue as Athletic search for the equaliser.
A change at striker sees Villalibre sent on for Williams.
80'
Yuri flashes a low, driven cross into the penalty area looking for Williams, but the striker is a half-step behind the delivery as he fails to reach it to turn it towards Ter Stegen.
79'
Barcelona will need to hold on for just over 10 minutes if they wish to go second, though their opponents haven’t done much to rattle the hosts’ nerve. The Athletic attack has been too one-dimensional, failing to ask the Barca defence questions.
77'
Capa gets yellow.
Capa is booked for bringing down Pedri cynically outside the Barcelona penalty area.
74'
A. Griezmann has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by Óscar Mingueza.
BARCELONA RETAKE THE LEAD! It’s as simple a finish as Griezmann can hope for - meeting Mingueza’s pass across the six-yard box with a powerful first-time shot! Simon had no chance to block the shot as the Blaugrana get themselves ahead!
Wonderful work from the Mingueza to get the assist, continuing his run down the right and overlapping Dembele, before putting a perfect low cross into the penalty area!
Minute
Description
73'
Pedri and De Jong get their signals crossed as the former puts a dangerous ball through the Athletic defence for his midfield team-mate, but the latter fails to continue his run - letting it run out for a goal-kick.
71'
With less than 20 minutes left, Barcelona are going to have to create more from open play if they wish to take all three points. With only one shot on-target in the second half, the Blaugrana have not done enough inside the 18-yard box.
69'
Dembele is furious with the referee after going to ground in the penalty area under the weight of a Muniain challenge. In all fairness, it looked as though the Bilbao winger got nowhere near the ball, but the referee and his VAR team are happy to let play continue.
67'
Sergi Roberto enters the game and replaces M. Pjanić.
Álex Berenguer enters the game and replaces De Marcos.
The first substitution of the match is made by Athletic, who replaces De Marcos with Berenguer on the right wing.
Koeman looks to refresh his midfield with a change of his own, taking Pjanic off for Roberto.
66'
Mikel Vesga enters the game and replaces Unai Vencedor.
It’s two swaps at once for the visitors, who also take Vencedor off the pitch, with Vesga on in his place.
64'
Barcelona are struggling to make things happen in front of goal at the minute, as their build-up play is too slow. The link between midfield and attack needs to be faster if they wish to put Messi and Griezmann in positions to score.
62'
Pjanic takes a corner short to Dembele, who immediately plays it back for Alba. The left-back’s eventual cross into the penalty area is a dangerous one, forcing Simon off his line to punch the ball away.
57'
Barcelona almost reverse their luck and score with an own goal after Messi’s delivery is met by a backwards header from Williams - but Simon reacts quickly enough to prevent the worst-case scenario.
56'
Dani Garcia slides in and brings Messi down to the turf outside the penalty area to the right of centre. It’s in a great location for Messi’s left-footed delivery - though it’s a bit too far out for a shot.
55'
Williams tests just how much luck his side have, taking a shot from midfield after spotting Ter Stegen off his line. It’s an audacious effort from the striker, but he puts the long-range effort off-target.
53'
Athletic have a chance to put Barcelona under more pressure from a corner, but the hosts are given a free-kick for a foul in the build-up to the delivery.
52'
It definitely wouldn’t have been how Marcelino pictured it, but Athletic are back level regardless, just five minutes after the restart. They’ve barely managed to get forward in the second half, but they’ve got a slice of good luck and will be looking to capitalise on that fully. The three points are still there to be won!
50'
Jordi Alba gets yellow.
Alba’s match goes from bad to worse as he’s shown a yellow card after confirmation of the goal; booked for his aggressive posture towards the referee.
49'
Jordi Alba is unfortunate, scores an own goal!
ATHLETIC GO LEVEL IN STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES! Raul Garcia receives a pass on the left flank and puts a cross towards the far post. Alba, the backtracking defender, slides in to push the ball away but the left-back accidentally turns it into his own net! 1-1!
47'
F. de Jong gets yellow.
Just a minute after the restart, De Jong is booked for tugging Martinez back during the centre-back’s foray forward.
46'
Athletic get the match restarted from the kick-off!
45' +1
HALF-TIME: BARCELONA 1-0 ATHLETIC BILBAO.
44'
Dembele looks to get on the score sheet but he blazes an effort from just inside the penalty area high over the crossbar.
42'
Muniain swings the free-kick in towards the six-yard box, but again Mingueza enthusiastically heads it away.
41'
Vencedor is down holding his face after getting whacked in the face by Umtiti’s trailing arm. It’s a free-kick for Athletic, despite protestations from the centre-back.
39'
Yeray gets yellow.
More frustration for Athletic, as Vencedor gives away a free-kick, bringing De Jong down while in pursuit of the ball in midfield.
Yeray is shown a yellow card for words he had with the referee following his decision to award Barcelona a free-kick.
38'
Williams looks to link up with Raul Garcia on the edge of the 18-yard box, but his return pass is intercepted easily by Araujo, who keeps possession well.
36'
Alba clips a cross into the penalty area looking for the run of Griezmann, but Yeray’s powerful header puts it out for a throw-in.
34'
Messi delivers the free-kick, but the Barcelona captain is only able to find Williams, who stoops low to head away the danger.
32'
Raúl García gets yellow.
Raul Garcia has been in the wars all match, but he’s finally shown a yellow card - this time for kicking through the back of De Jong in an attempt to win the ball. He’s not happy as he retreats to the edge of his 18-yard box to defend the Barcelona free-kick.
31'
Messi bursts forward and plays a lovely leading pass down the left for Alba. The left-back immediately puts a cross into the penalty area, but the delivery is deflected and popped up high for Simon to collect.
27'
Capa makes his way towards the Barcelona penalty area and opens his body to play a pass through the lines for Williams, but Umtiti reads the situation and makes a great interception.
25'
Araujo gets in position to have a crack at goal from 18 yards out, but he drags his effort wide of the far post, leaving Simon with nothing to do but watch.
23'
The Athletic number 10 curls the set-piece to the far post looking for the head of a team-mate, but it’s Mingueza who rises highest to nod the danger away.
22'
Almost immediately after the restart, Bilbao win themselves a free-kick in a similar position to the one just scored by Messi, albeit a little further out. Can Muniain have a similar impact?
20'
L. Messi has scored a goal for Barcelona!
WHAT A LOVELY STRIKE! ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL FROM MESSI! He put it exactly where he wanted to, up and over the wall in the top-right corner - beating the goalkeeper as well as Dani Garcia, who had positioned himself by the post. 1-0 to the hosts!
18'
Messi is brought down outside the penalty area, winning a free-kick for his side, but the Barcelona captain isn’t happy with the referee, who has failed to book Vencedor for the infringement. The booking isn’t forthcoming - but perhaps the opening goal is!
16'
They’ve certainly had their chances in the opening 15 minutes, but Barcelona need to be sharper in front of goal if they wish to break the deadlock in the first half. They’ve done well upping the tempo occasionally but they’ll need to maintain that for longer stretches to break down the visitors’ defence.
12'
Raul Garcia comes flying through with a slide tackle to block Umtiti’s pass forward - but the forward only manages to catch the defender - giving Barcelona a free-kick in midfield. The striker is quite lucky to not be shown a yellow - it was a reckless slide.
10'
Looking for the counter-attack, Dani Garcia volleys a loose ball in midfield down the pitch. Williams does his utmost to reach the pass, but Umtiti gets in the way and wins a free-kick to clear his lines.
8'
Dembele speeds past Yuri and breaks into the penalty area, but a desperate last-ditch tackle from Martinez does just enough to put the winger off.
5'
Barcelona are doing well to retain possession, but there’s a lack of movement towards goal as Pedri is once again forced to pass backwards to Umtiti.
3'
A lovely switch from Pedri releases Dembele down the right flank, but a mistimed layoff to Mingueza puts the full-back in an awkward situation - prompting him to give away a cheap free-kick.
1'
Barcelona get the match underway from the kick-off!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the LaLiga fixture between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao!
ATHLETIC SUBS: Oihan Sancet, Alex Berenguer, Jokin Ezkieta, Inigo Cordoba, Unai Nunez, Ibai Gomez, Mikel Vesga, Inigo Lekue, Asier Villalibre, Unai Lopez, Jon Morcillo.
ATHLETIC XI (4-4-2): Unai Simon; Ander Capa, Yeray Alvarez, Inigo Martinez, Yuri; Oscar De Marcos, Dani Garcia, Unai Vencedor, Iker Muniain (c); Raul Garcia, Inaki Williams.
BARCELONA SUBS: Trincao, Ilaix Moriba, Neto, Matheus Fernandes, Junior Firpo, Konrad De la Fuente, Arnau Tenas, Sergi Roberto, Martin Braithwaite, Riqui Puig, Clement Lenglet.
BARCELONA XI (4-3-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Jordi Alba, Samuel Umtiti, Ronald Araujo, Oscar Mingueza; Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Miralem Pjanic; Antoine Griezmann, Lionel Messi (c), Ousmane Dembele.
With 15 minutes to go before kick-off, let's look at how the two sides are lining up - starting with the hosts!
Barcelona are looking for revenge today as they host Athletic Bilbao in a repeat of the Spanish Supercopa final from two weeks ago when the Basque club got the better of the Blaugrana; beating them 3-2 after extra time.
That disappointment aside, Barcelona have put together a good run of form - going undefeated in the nine matches leading up to the final, as well as winning their three subsequent fixtures. Sitting fourth, a win would take Barcelona level with Real Madrid in second with 40 points, after the Merengues were defeated yesterday by Levante.
Despite winning the Supercopa, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for Athletic, who’ve won two of their last five league matches. Marcelino is looking to orchestrate back-to-back LaLiga victories for his 11th-placed side - a feat they haven’t managed in league play since June and July 2020.
Down a goal, Athletic will be forced to open up and attack Barcelona. With Berenguer available to add width, and Villalibre an option from the bench to add another striker in front of goal, Marcelino certainly has options to change the game. They must be careful, however, not to leave gaps in defence, as Dembele and Pedri are more than capable of exposing tired legs. Barca will no doubt look to get a second to add insurance to their lead, though Roberto and Lenglet are both experienced campaigners ready to hold the advantage should they be called upon.
That concludes our coverage of the LaLiga fixture between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao. We hope you enjoyed it!
Barcelona are back in action on Wednesday, when they travel to face Granada in the Copa del Rey, before visiting Real Betis in LaLiga next Sunday. Athletic meet Betis in the Copa on Thursday, before hosting Valencia in the league in seven days.
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