La Liga: Barca Looking For Bilbao Revenge

Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao

Barcelona are hoping to keep up the pressure on Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga this weekend, and there’s an extra bite to their next fixture at the Camp Nou.

Athletic Bilbao are the visitors, in a replay of a bad tempered Spanish Super Cup clash just two weeks ago, when Los Leones shocked Barca as Lionel Messi was sent off.

And that adds a lot of spice to a game the Catalans must win. Four victories on the bounce have lifted Barcelona to third place in the La Liga table, while Athletic Club sit in ninth place and just four points outside the Europa League places with a game in hand.

The SBOTOP odds point to a home win but it won’t be easy against a side rejuvenated since the arrival of new head coach Marcelino.

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Talking Points

Barcelona can’t afford any more slip–ups

Ronald Koeman has had a difficult time in his first season as Blaugrana head coach and the Catalan’s La Liga 2021 results need to be pretty near perfect if they are to overhaul a 10-point deficit behind Atletico Madrid at the summit.

The Dutch boss seems to have his team playing with more confidence now and he has guided them on an unbeaten league run of nine fixtures – including seven victories, beating Los Leones on that run.

Barca desperately need new blood at some stage. But with money tight in the world of football, the Blaugrana may have to wait until summer to bring in new recruits and that just heaps more pressure on their talisman Messi.

He’s top scoring again with 11 goals and he will be fresh for this game and fueled by a desire for revenge, having sat out the last two games following his red card in the Super Cup final.

He won’t want to do it all on his own though however capable he might be, and there are some signs that Antoine Griezmann may be starting to settle at the Camp Nou.

The jury is still out on the Frenchman but he has contributed five goals and four assists, while 23-year-old Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong is growing in stature game by game.

The latest La Liga 2021 betting odds are backing Atletico Madrid to win the title at around 1.40 with Real Madrid and Barca in pursuit.

Lose this game and I think it’s time the Blaugrana should start to think about next season.

Marcelino ignites Bilbao’ season

Koeman must look at his opposite number Marcelino with more than a hint of admiration.

The former Valencia and Villarreal boss took up the reins at the Saint Mames at the beginning of January and he’s made an immediate impact.

He has taken the Basque country team on a run of four consecutive victories, including a Super Cup triumph over Real Madrid.

And on Thursday night, Inaki Williams scored a late winner as Bilbao came from behind to beat Alcoyano in the Copa del Rey Round of 16.

Inaki Williams has scored 4 goals and made 3 assists in La Liga this season — Inaki Williams celebrates scoring against Barcelona during the Super Cup final

It’s all looking quite bright for Los Leones who needed a shake-up before the arrival of Marcelino and they will arrive at the Camp Nou without fear.

Alongside the in-form Inaki Williams, Raul Garcia also provides a goal threat since he scored a double in Bilbao’s recent 5-1 destruction of Getafe.

History

The Blaugrana have had the better of the head-to-heads, winning 44 to Athletic Club’s 12 since 1993, but the Basque club has faired rather better recently – only losing two in seven against the Catalans.

Bilbao have won three of those – one in La Liga and one in the Copa del Rey. And the recent Spanish Super Cup triumph was sweet indeed for their new boss as he watched his side come back twice from two Griezmann strikes as Williams scored a late winner.

Then it all boiled over in the closing minutes when Messi lashed out at young striker Asier Villalibre and the Argentine took an early bath.

The Barca captain has a happier memory of the previous meeting when Barca beat their opponents by the same scoreline in Bilbao as Messi inspired a comeback to grab all three points.

Betting Tip

	Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao	Barcelona Asian Handicap -1.25 @ 1.96
	February 1, 04:00 (GMT+8)

So it’s one win each in 2021 for these two teams and this is the decider. And Barca, at odds of 1.42, will be desperate to exert their superiority this weekend.

The draw is at 4.26 and Athletic Club at 6.56. But with the Blaugrana clear in the knowledge, they must now keep winning.

With Lionel Messi intent on revenge, I’m backing the hosts.