FULL TIME
Goal and Highlights: Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Barcelona, 2019 La Liga
Thank you
Hopefully, you have enjoyed the game tonight as Athletic stunned defending champions, Barcelona in the La Liga opener.
We will be back with more coverage of all of the weekend's football coverage right across the VAVEL network. Hopefully, we will see you there.
FT: Athletic Club 1-0 Barcelona
It wasn't a great game but a great goal won it. At 38 years old, Aduriz has no business attempting things like that but he did and it worked.
Athletic had been quite poor in the second half and although Barcelona didn't do enough in the final third to win it, they looked the more likely as the game went on but Aduriz had different ideas.
92' Rafinha takes a free kick and Lenglet gets on the end of it but his header is tapped over the bar by the goalkeeper. The corner is cleared.
GOAL! Athletic 1-0 Barca
What a goal!!!!! Aduriz, who is just on the pitch, receives a cross with a bicycle kick and there's nothing ter Stegen can do. 38 years old!
Sub! Williams off, Aduriz on
The big striker comes on for the dying minutes.
84' Barcelona have another chance as Griezmann wins a header in the box and while he turns it goalwards it's not enough and goes wide.
Sub! Lopez off, Benat on.
Warm applause from the crowd for both the player leaving and the player coming in.
79' Rafinha dribbles through the defence brilliantly and gets a shot away but it's deflected wide. The Brazilian has been impressive since coming on.
Sub! Roberto off, Perez on
Perez comes on as Barca chase a winner in Bilbao. He is on the right-wing.
70' There's a scramble in the box and it eventually falls to Rakitic who lashes it but it's always rising and goes over the bar. That's a great chance for Barca.
Sub: De Marcos off, Sancet on
That's a debut for Sancet and the fans welcome him with a fantastic roar.
Yellow! Nunez
64' Rakitic is taken down by Nunez and the defender receives a yellow card.
Luis Suarez update
❗@LuisSuarez9 has a muscle injury in his right leg. He will have more tests tomorrow to determine the exact extent of the injury. pic.twitter.com/Yn1PkLKaii — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 16, 2019
62' Athletic have a freekick from distance and as has seemed to be their tactic tonight they have a go. It's laid off for Yuri but it's wide and extremely high.
60' Barcelona win a free-kick from distance. Dembele crosses but it's headed clear. Rafinha volleys the shot back but it's wild and wide.
56' Williams is a real threat for Athletic. He gets away from Lenglet but he's at a tough angle and can't get his shot on target.
52' Rafinha gets on the end of a Dembele pass and his shot is deflected onto the outside of the post. The corner comes to nothing.
49' Barca win a corner and Dembele plays it toward the near post. Rakitic gets a yard on his marker but his header is over the bar.
46' The second half gets underway.
Sub: Alena off, Rakitic on
Valverde has decided that it's time to make his second change and it's his old favourite Rakitic replacing Alena. Barca Twitter will love that.
Who can break the deadlock?
Luis Suarez may have limped off with an injury but there's still no shortage of attacking talent on the pitch. Can Williams, Griezmann, Muniain, Garcia, Dembele or Rafinha produce something? From the feel of the first half, it might be more likely that the winner comes from a centre back at a corner.
Half Time: Athletic Club 0-0 Barcelona
It hasn't been a great half. Athletic have been the better team but Barca has had the better chances with two shots hitting the woodwork. Athletic will be happy enough so far, Barca not so much.
45' Atletic win a corner but Pique rises higher than everyone else and clears it.
44' Wow! Rafinha almost breaks the deadlock. After some play on the right-wing the Brazilian comes inside onto his left foot and hits a superb shot that looks in all the way but Unai Simon uses every inch he has to get fingertips on it and it hits the bar. Great effort and an even better save.
39' Athletic are keen to test ter Stegen from distance. Unai Lopez is the latest to try a shot but it's off target.
Sub Suarez off, Rafinha on
The Uruguayan can't continue and he has been replaced by Rafinha. Griezmann is now playing in the middle.
36' Big chance for Athletic. Capa gets behind the defence and squares it to Raul Garcia but he's stretching and can't get power behind the shot and it's easy for ter Stegen.
33' Suarez seems to have taken a knock whilst missing that chance and is off the pitch receiving treatment.
32' Luis Suarez is handed a gift after a mistake from Unai Lopez but the Uruguayan can only hit the post and Athletic get away with one.
31' Ter Stegen is called into action again and this time it's comfortable. Unai Lopez shoots from distance and it's straight at the German.
28' The game has become a bit of a catalogue of errors in midfield. Barcelona isn't stringing anything together while Athletic are better in possession but not creating much.
17' Barcelona's first bit of good play comes as Dembele jinks past a defender and passes to Griezmann who tries to lay it into the path of Roberto but he's squeezed out and Athletic clear.
15' Williams gets behind Pique and leaves him in his wake as he goes toward goal. He's a bit wide though and ter Stegen does a good job with his angles and makes the save.
7' Dembele loses possession and Williams tries a fierce shot from all of 30 yards. Ter Stegen is equal to it and sends it round the post. Raul Garcia is unmarked at the back post from the corner but his header is high and wayward.
6' Williams gets behind Alba and wins a corner for his team. Lopez can't beat the first man though and De Jong clears.
2' Welcome to Spain Frenkie. Raul Garcia lands a late boot on the young Dutchman just to let him know he's there.
0' Athletic get us underway in their usual home colours of red and white tops with black shorts and socks against Barcelona in an all-yellow kit apart from a Blaugrana sash across the top.
Poll Results
76% of you believe Barcelona will win.
Who will win in San Mames tonight?
— VAVEL European Football (@VAVEL_EuroFoot) August 16, 2019
Ready to go
The players are lined up inside what looks like prison cells at San Mames. They make their way onto the pitch to the operatic sound of the Athletic anthem. Kick-off moments away.
Coutinho leaving?
Barcelona announced a 19 man squad for this game meaning one player that made the trip wouldn't play. That player is Coutinho and it appears the reason behind that is because Barcelona is in advance negotiations with Bayern Munich for the Brazilian to move on loan to Germany for the season.
Inaki starts
Fresh from signing a nine-year contract, Inaki Williams starts for Athletic. That means Aduriz is on the bench which will probably save Pique a lot of bruises tomorrow morning but he better get his hamstrings stretched right out in the warm-up as he'll have a lot of running to do if he is to stop the electric Inaki Williams.
Interesting midfield for Barcelona
Barcelona has picked an unusual three in midfield this evening. Roberto will anchor it with De Jong and Alena either side of him. Busquets and Rakitic both start on the bench. Is this a statement of intent from Valverde? San Mames isn't the kind of place to leave your experienced players on the bench.
Barcelona Subs
👥 Subs: I. Rakitic, Sergio, Rafinha, Umtiti, Junior, Iñaki Peña and C. Pérez #AthleticBarça 🔵🔴 #ForçaBarça — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 16, 2019
Barcelona XI
🔵🔴 Barça XI#AthleticBarça — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 16, 2019
Athletic Subs
ON THE BENCH I #AthleticClub 🔴⚪️🦁
13 I. Herrerin
7 Beñat
12 Larrazabal
20 Aduriz
24 Balenziaga
29 Vivian
34 O. Sancet#AthleticBarça @LaLiga ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/ELn7B4fSGc — Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) August 16, 2019
Athletic XI
LINE-UP I The #AthleticClub starting 1⃣1⃣ for #LaLigaSantander 2019-20 debut!#AthleticBarça 🔴⚪🦁 pic.twitter.com/5AttYsVXCJ — Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) August 16, 2019
Athletic v Barcelona Preview
You can read a full preview of the game here:
Barca expected to win
Over on VAVEL UK's new Twitter account, VAVEL European Football, fans have been voting on the outcome of tonight's game. At present 76% of fans think Barcelona will win, 16% expect a draw and just 8% are going for the home team.
League debuts?
With 90 minutes until kick-off, we should be hearing the team news soon. How many debutants will there be for both sides?
Do not miss a detail of the match with the with VAVEL. Follow along with us all the details, commentaries, analysis and rosters for this Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona.
The last match between Athletic and Barcelona was last February 10, at the Camp Nou, when the scoreboard failed to move and the 23rd round of Liga Santander ended with the distribution of points between both teams.
How to watch Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona Live TV and Stream
If you want to watch the game on TV, your options are: beIn Sports.
If you want to directly stream it: beIn Sports and fuboTV.
If you want to watch in on internet, VAVEL is your best option!
Player to watch: Bilbao
Iñaki Williams is one of the clearest threats in the attack of Athletic Club that, in addition to his talent, has signed a contract virtually for life with the club of Bilbao.
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Player to watch: Barcelona
Antonie Griezmann has undoubtedly been one of the most popular signings this summer.
The striker, who has arrived from Atletico Madrid, will give more magic and power to the azulgrana attack. The Frenchman will be able to make his official debut for Barcelona in Bilbao if the coach chooses him to replace Messi's absence.
Barcelona coach Valverde
"It's a very difficult game to start. Athletic had a good preseason and we will have to be attentive. In addition, we will not risk with any player and less with Messi. He's following a good recovery process".
Athletic Bilbao coach Garitano
"The new signings they brought make them a better team. They will be a great Barcelona, but we want to be up to the task and win the match".
FC Barcelona
Barcelona, on the other hand, arrives after a tour around Japan and the United States in which the youth academy has taken the lead.
With the South American internationals lacking game time (Suárez, Arthur, Coutinho and Arturo Vidal), the new signings will have to take centre stage.
The arrivals of De Jong, Neto, Griezmann, Firpo and the promotion of Wagué have eased the enthusiasm of the fans, who are asking more of their team after the undoing of the previous year.
With Neymar around the azulgrana trails, Valverde needs to start the season doing well.
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao starts the season after a hard preparation summer. They have played eight friendly matches against rivals like Roma, Mönchendgladbach or Racing de Santander.
The almost lifetime renewal of Williams and the retirement announcement at the end of the year for Aduriz have been the most talked about in Bilbao, which hope to meet the goals set for the season.
Kick-off time
The Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona match will be played at San Mamés, in Bilbao, Spanish. The kick-off is scheduled at 3pm ET.
Welcome to VAVEL.com’s coverage of the 2019 La Liga match: Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona!
My name is Alan Nunez and I’ll be your host for this game. We will provide you with all the information on VAVEL.