La Liga: Barca Bid for Victory in the Basque

Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona

A nine point lead at the top of La Liga, with 14 games to play, is a pretty healthy position for Xavi’s Barcelona to be in, and the Catalans know how vital it is to keep Real Madrid at arms length.

Los Blancos are at home to Espanyol on Saturday and while the Blaugrana’s neighbours might do them a favour, it’s fair to predict that Los Blancos will have cut the gap to six, and then it’s over to Barcelona to win away to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday night. But the La Liga 2023 betting odds say it’s anything other than a gimme, pricing the league leaders at 2.14 to win.  

Athletic Bilbao come into the game on the back of a 0-0 draw away to Rayo Vallecano, while Barca eked out a 1-0 victory at home to Valencia. Bilbao boss Ernesto Valverde has a job to do; while his team sits comfortably in ninth place in the table, a run of four games without a victory, including a Copa del Rey exit to Osasuna, has increased the danger of Bilbao’s season fizzling out, and that’s no good for their fans at the beginning of March.

Make no mistake, this is a tough assignment for Xavi’s Blaugrana and the 53,000 capacity San Mames Stadium will be packed to the rafters, the vast majority roaring on Los Leones. Barca need to be at their clinical best.   

Talking Points

Lewi in contention for a Barca return  

The Blaugrana’s three top scorers Robert Lewandowski, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele have all been out injured in recent weeks but Xavi’s men have picked up two consecutive wins 1-0, their excellent defence continuing to dominate. But the good news for Blaugrana fans is that Lewandowski is in line for a return, and the top scorer will add massively to Barca’s goal threat. The return from suspension of box to box midfielder Gavi is another plus as Barca look to increase their goal tally.

On the downside, centre back Ronald Araujo is banned after picking up a red card against Barcelona, but that means the ever reliable Andreas Christensen will be drafted in alongside Jules Kounde at the back. Xavi had been hoping that another young midfield star, Pedri, might be ready to return from an injury sustained in a Europa Cup match against Manchester United, but the Bilbao game comes too early. At the beginning of the week the club said it was not impossible for Pedri to make the squad but his chances have now all but disappeared.

The player targets a return in time for the blockbuster El Clasico clash on Sunday 19^th March. 

The Blaugrana shook off defeat to Almeria, two weeks ago, with a pair of important victories. They put down a marker against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey and then saw off Valencia, while Madrid faltered against Real Betis.   

Los Blancos need to get back to winning ways if they are to push for the title but Xavi will have his team fully focused on their task in hand. 

Sancet out for Bilbao

Without a win in four, Athletic Bilbao’s La Liga 2023 results have dropped below expectations and Valverde will be missing a key player when they line up against Barcelona on Sunday. Midfielder Oihan Sancet is top scoring with eight goals, but he totally lost his head at the end of Bilbao’s 0-0 draw with Vallecano, ploughing in to Abdul Mumin in stoppage time and receiving a well earned straight red card. Midfield general Ander Herrera remains sidelined with injury and wing back Inigo Lekue is also set to miss out, after coming off injured against Vallecano. 

But there is better news up front for the hosts, who have Inaki and Nico Williams, as well as Iker Muniain all fit to play.

History

Over the last 30 years these two teams have met 76 times and Barca have the plenty of success, with 48 wins to Bilbao’s 13 and there have been 15 draws. The last two meetings, both at the Camp Nou had the same outcomes, a 4-0 win for Barcelona. The match earlier this year was over by the time Lewandowski made it 3-0 on 22 minutes but I can’t see Bilbao rolling over quite so quickly on Sunday.   

Barca have won ten of their 12 away games this season and I’m backing them to make it 11 from 13.  

Betting Tip

Bilbao are the outsiders at SBOTOP odds of 2.92, but a serious threat to Barca, while the draw is at 3.11. But I believe the return of Lewandowski and Gavi, coupled with the absence of Sancet, will tip the balance in the Blaugrana’s favour who will have more punch up front.   

 

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