Barcelona aim to build on positive start to Messi-less era

2021/22 Spanish LaLiga
Matchday 2 of 38

Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona

San Mames
Bilbao, Spain

Saturday, 21 August 2021

Kick-off is at 22:00 CAT

FC Barcelona will be aiming to build on their positive start to the post Lionel Messi era when they take aim at Athletic Bilbao in a 2021/22 Spanish LaLiga fixture on Saturday evening.

Bilbao got their campaign up and running with a 0-0 draw at Elche as their struggles towards the back end of last season creeped into the new season. Los Leones are now winless in five LaLiga matches.

Barcelona started life without Messi with a 4-2 win over Real Sociedad. Martin Braithwaite continued his inspired run of form with a well-taken brace, but despite the result, Blaugrana manager Ronald Koeman admitted that he’d still prefered to have been able to call on Messi.

“Hey, if I had to choose, I would still prefer to have Leo Messi in my team,” said Koeman.

“We no longer have a player who can decide the fate of matches on his own — now it will be a collective effort.”

Barcelona completed a league double of Bilbao last season. The Catalan club won 3-2 in Bilbao before a 2-1 win at the Camp Nou in the reverse fixture.

Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona head-to-head statistics:

Matches played: 72

Athletic Bilbao wins: 12

FC Barcelona wins: 46
Draws: 14

Spanish LaLiga fixtures, matchday 2:

Friday, 20 August

21:00 – Real Betis vs Cadiz

Saturday, 21 August

17:00 – Alaves vs Mallorca

19:30 – Granada vs Valencia

19:30 – Espanyol vs Villarreal

22:00 – Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona

Sunday, 22 August

17:00 – Real Sociedad vs Rayo Vallecano

19:30 – Atletico Madrid vs Elche

22:00 – Levante vs Real Madrid

Monday, 23 August

20:00 – Getafe vs Sevilla

22:00 – Osasuna vs Celta Vigo