FC Barcelona travel to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey
Barcelona have a tough first game against the high-pressing Athletic Bilbao to start the new calendar year.
Form
The Catalans were in good form prior to the winter break. They are currently on a ten game unbeaten run in all competitions, and have won their last four straight matches. The draw against Real Madrid was the only time they didn’t win a match in December. Therefore, showing how dominant they have been recently.
Bilbao have been in good form as well with only two losses in their last ten games. In that period they won every game they played at home. Interestingly, the last time they lost at home was against Barcelona in August. This shows the enormity of the challenge at hand, but they have already done it before at least. There is also the second leg to consider, which means a draw in this leg wouldn’t be a bad result.
Squads
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Barcelona have a full squad to choose from which is ideal going in to the second half of the season. This gives them a wealth of options to choose from in midfield, and the importance of the competition means that a strong lineup is likely to be fielded. The Basques have a few injuries to contend with. Beñat suffered an injury just before the break which makes him unlikely to play. They also have Óscar de Marcos out due to a foot injury. Aside from that, the rest of first team players are fit.
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History
Recent history between the two heavily favours Barcelona. Five wins in the last five games, and eight in the last ten shows their dominance. However, the only loss was an emphatic 4-0 thrashing in the 2015 Super Cup. In terms of the Copa del Rey, Bilbao are popular opponents with meetings in the 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016 iterations. In 2009, 2012 and 2015 they were playing in the final and Barcelona won each time. In fact, Barcelona won in the five meetings mentioned, which is quite remarkable. Therefore, they should have the psychological advantage going in to this match. Last year, Barça won 5-2 on aggregate, so they will be hoping for something similar this time round.
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Playing Style
Under Ernesto Valverde, Bilbao play an expansive high-pressing form of football which is exciting to watch. Aggressive pressing play has often been associated with the Basque club, but the impact of the maverick Marcelo Bielsa was substantial. He got them playing in the style which is recognisable today.
The unique part of their style is the intensity of the press which often sees them camped in the opposition half. They often have multiple people pressing the goalkeeper if they are trying to start play from the back. This was the case in the match between the two earlier in the season. Without Marc-André ter Stegen, Barcelona would have probably lost that match due to his ability on the ball which is rare in goalkeepers.
This match shouldn’t be any different, so Barcelona will have to be at their best in terms of passing and ball control. The experience in the side, and the lack of injuries means that the majority of the team will be used to playing against this style. Therefore, it shouldn’t faze them too much. Also, once you get past the press, it’s easy to exploit the team on the counter. This means that the M-S-N trio could have a field day in front of goal due to their prowess in quickly transitioning up the pitch. The one point going in Bilbao’s favour is how refreshed the players will be due to the winter break, which will allow them to press with vigour. Nonetheless, the experience and quality of Barça should prove to be enough.
Prediction: Athletic Bilbao 1-3 FC Barcelona
Predicted Lineup
Rakitić instead of Gomes is a possibility.