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Barcelona continues their pursuit of the La Liga title as they prepare to host Athletic Club in their first home game of the season on Saturday. After a challenging pre-season, the Catalan giants are eager to maintain momentum following their opening victory under new manager Hansi Flick. Despite a disappointing Joan Gamper Trophy loss to Monaco, Barcelona bounced back with a win, thanks to a brace from Robert Lewandowski, signaling a promising start under Flick's leadership. Meanwhile, Athletic Club aims to challenge Barcelona's ambitions, bringing a strong side to Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. With both teams eager to secure early points, this encounter promises to be a thrilling contest.
Match Details
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Stadium: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys
Date: Saturday, 24 August
Kick-off Time: 10:45 NST / 13:00 ET / 10:00 PT
Referee: Jesus Gil Manzano
VAR: Valentin Pizarro Gomez
Barcelona Team News
Barcelona heads into this fixture with some notable absentees. Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has made a surprising return to Manchester City after a brief spell in Spain, leaving a gap in the Blaugrana’s midfield options. This departure, coupled with injuries to Gavi and Frenkie de Jong, has left Hansi Flick with a thinner midfield. Additionally, central defender Ronald Araujo is unavailable, which means Pau Cubarsi is expected to step in alongside Inigo Martinez at the heart of the defense. Promising young talents Lamine Yamal and Pedri are likely to feature prominently in the starting lineup, adding a fresh dynamic to Barcelona's approach. The club is also working against time to see if new signing Dani Olmo can be registered in time to make his debut.
Predicted Barcelona Lineup (4-2-3-1):
Ter Stegen; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde; Casado, Bernal; Yamal, Pedri, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
Athletic Club Team News
Athletic Club faces their own challenges ahead of this clash. First-choice goalkeeper Unai Simon, along with backup Julen Agirrezabala, is sidelined, paving the way for Alex Padilla to start in goal. Additionally, several key players, including Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Nico Serrano, Aitor Paredes, and Alvaro Djalo, are unavailable due to injuries. However, Nico Williams, a player Barcelona has been linked with all summer, is expected to start after making an impact off the bench in their last match against Getafe. Athletic will rely on the attacking prowess of the Williams brothers, Nico and Inaki, to pose a significant threat to Barcelona's defense.
Predicted Athletic Club Lineup (4-2-3-1):
Padilla; Gorosabel, Alvarez, Vivian, Berchiche; Vesga, Prados; Nico Williams, Sancet, Inaki Williams; Guruzeta.