FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club

Barcelona host Athletic Bilbao for matchday two of the new La Liga season, and this one already carries weight. The reigning back-to-back champions are chasing a third straight title under Hansi Flick, with Champions League glory the bigger prize this year, while Athletic Bilbao arrive under new coach Edin Terzić, rebuilding after Ernesto Valverde's departure and a disappointing 12th-place finish last term. Barcelona closed 2025-26 with 94 points and warmed up by thrashing Basel 5-2 in preseason; Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Raphinha remain the attacking spine to watch. Athletic's headline story is Nico Williams, who resisted Barcelona's transfer interest to sign a new deal. Historically this fixture is one-sided: Barcelona have won seven of their last eight league meetings, and Athletic's last league win over them dates back to 2019. It's too early for lineup talk, but form and history point the same direction. Our prediction: 3-1