Athletic Bilbao vs. Barcelona: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
La Liga leaders Barcelona will look to extend their advantage at the top when they meet Athletic Bilbao at San Mames Stadium on Saturday.
The Blaugrana lead the league by four points ahead of Valencia, while Athletic are 11th after an indifferent start to the season. Yet the Basque club still boasts enough quality to shock Barca on home soil, with veteran centre-forward Aritz Aduriz and winger Inaki Williams both legitimate match-winners.
Of course, match-winners aren't in short supply for Barcelona, who rested marquee stars Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta for the Copa del Rey win in Murcia in midweek. Meanwhile, manager Ernesto Valverde will return to Bilbao for the first time after leaving Athletic in the summer.
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Here are the schedule and viewing details before a preview and a look at the team news:
Date: Saturday, October 28
Time: 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET
TV Info: Sky Sports Football. beIN Sports.
Messi and Suarez will come back into the lineup ahead of Paco Alcacer and academy product Jose Arnaiz. The prolific pair have both been in exceptional form this season.
Suarez has helped himself to three goals and an assist in La Liga action, per WhoScored.com. The same source detailed how Messi has been even better, scoring 14 goals and supplying four assists across La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.
Having Messi and Suarez back will ensure Barca carry plenty of menace going forward at San Mames. Things at the back should also be stable with centre-back Gerard Pique expected to be restored to the starting lineup after staying on the substitutes' bench against Murcia, per Helen Rowe-Willcocks of The Sun.
Rowe-Willcocks also noted how Athletic boss "Jose Angel Ziganda currently has no injury concerns or suspensions." It means 36-year-old Aduriz will continue to lead the line, while former Atletico Madrid man Raul Garcia offers support.
The pair are both highly effective in the air, something Williams' pace and delivery from the flanks can exploit. Aduriz and Garcia will pose a rough and physical test for Pique and fellow central defender Samuel Umtiti.
Athletic need a fast start after enduring some sketchy recent form in Spain's top flight. They have lost two out of their last three matches, defeats in Valencia and Leganes.
Yet Los Leones are still strong at home this season, having lost just once at San Mames in the league.
Athletic have the firepower to cause Barca problems, but Valverde's men have been ruthlessly efficient in front of goal so far this season. Expect Messi, Suarez and Co. to again make the most of their chances and come away with another vital win.
