Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona Betting Odds, Tips, Predictions, Preview 12th March 2023

Athletic Bilbao are aiming for an upset this coming Sunday, when faced with La Liga leaders Barcelona at San Mames Barria. It will be a surprise to see the latter slip up, though, considering the difference in the table between the two sides.

A look at the La Liga standings shows that 29 points and seven places currently separate the two teams.

Barcelona are hugely favoured to knock out Athletic Bilbao from this competition. The latter will obviously put up a fight this coming Sunday but an away win still seem the most likely scenario.

Athletic Bilbao have a hard time getting on the scoreboard these days, as they managed a poorly nine goals in their previous ten matches. That is an average of 0.9 goals per game, in which they conceded 12 goals, or 1.2 goals per game. Furthermore, they fought their way to three clean sheets in this run.

Barcelona managed a bearable 13 goals from their past ten games, creating an average of 1.3 goals per game. They conceded three goals in total, and while claiming seven clean sheets, they conceded 0.3 goals an average per game.

Not only did Barcelona win their latest meetings with Athletic Bilbao, they also did it without conceding. A 4-0 win in October 2022 was followed by a 4-0 win in February 2022.

Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona Prediction

Athletic Bilbao Form

Athletic Bilbao only added a single point to their account in their last three games, where they lost 2-3 and 1-0 against Girona and Osasuna respectively. At least they managed a 0-0 draw with Rayo Vallecano. Athletic Bilbao claimed a middle-of-the-road three wins in their previous six matches on home soil in the La Liga. They also drew one and lost two, as they scored ten and conceded six goals.

Barcelona Form

In their last three matches, Barcelona lost against Almeria by 1-0, beat Real Madrid by 0-1 winning 1-0 against Valencia. Barcelona picked up five wins from a possible six on their recent travels in the La Liga, while scoring seven and conceding three goals. They also lost once while drawing none.

Athletic Bilbao, as well as Barcelona, have been keeping things tight in recent matches with goals few and far between. This suggests a close encounter shy on goals is on the cards this coming Sunday.

Athletic Bilbao have taken ten points from their last 11 games against teams from the top half of the La Liga table. They won two of these matches with a scoreline of five goals to 13. Barcelona won eight games, picked up 25 points, scored 19 and conceded six goals in their last 11 games against teams from the top half of the La Liga table. Athletic Bilbao are looking at a record of nine wins, six draws and nine defeats in the La Liga this season. Barcelona have 20 wins, two draws and two defeats in the La Liga.

Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona Squads

Athletic Bilbao Squad

The 59-year-old Athletic Bilbao manager, Ernesto Valverde, will select the lineup against Barcelona from these players (the statistics in the brackets refer to scored goals and games played in the La Liga this season):

Alex Padilla (0/0), Ander Iruarrizaga (0/0), Julen Agirrezabala (0/3), Unai Simon (0/22), Aitor Paredes (0/8), Ander Capa (0/3), Daniel Vivian (1/17), Inigo Lekue (0/18), Inigo Martinez (0/10), Mikel Balenziaga (0/1), Oscar de Marcos (0/24), Yeray Alvarez (1/20), Yuri Berchiche (1/15), Ander Herrera (0/8), Dani Garcia (0/15), Mikel Vesga (2/23), Oier Zarraga (0/17), Oihan Sancet (8/24), Raul Garcia (2/23), Unai Vencedor (0/7), Alex Berenguer (3/23), Gorka Guruzeta (5/17), Iker Muniain (0/20), Inaki Williams (5/22), Jon Morcillo (0/10), Luis Bilbao (0/0), Malcom Ares (0/0), Nico Serrano (0/0), Nico Williams (4/23).

Barcelona Squad

Listed below is the full squad of Barcelona players that the manager Xavi Hernandez will choose from for the upcoming game:

Arnau Tenas (0/0), Inaki Pena (0/0), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (0/24), Alex Balde (0/21), Andreas Christensen (0/14), Eric Garcia (1/14), Jordi Alba (1/16), Jules Kounde (0/16), Marcos Alonso (1/14), Ronald Araujo (0/13), Sergi Roberto (3/15), Ferran Torres (2/21), Franck Kessie (0/16), Frenkie de Jong (2/22), Gavi (1/23), Marc Casado (0/0), Pablo Torre (0/2), Pedri (6/21), Sergio Busquets (0/20), Ansu Fati (3/22), Ousmane Dembele (5/18), Raphinha (5/23), Robert Lewandowski (15/20).

Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona Team News

Athletic Bilbao are as close to an entire squad as they can with only one player unavailable for the side which faces Barcelona.

Athletic Bilbao are unable to field Inigo Martinez on Sunday against Barcelona, as he is sidelined with an injury.

Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona Lineups

Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona H2H

Barcelona celebrated a 4-0 win as well as a 4-0 victory in the last two matches played against Athletic Bilbao. Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 4-0 in their latest meeting, and the bookies have an away win in this match at best price odds of 6/5.

Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona Results

Punters probably shouldn't go looking for both teams to score, when Barcelona come visiting Athletic Bilbao. At least one team managed to keep a clean sheet six times in their last ten matches. Odds on both teams not to score are best priced at 4/5 with the bookies.

Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona Betting Tips

Oihan Sancet look like value in the goal scoring market with four strikes to his name in six La Liga matches. The visitors are crossing their fingers Raphinha adds to his three La Liga goals come on Sunday.

Athletic Bilbao claimed seven wins in the previous 10 matches at home across all tournaments, as well as drawing one and losing two. Barcelona won eight of their last 10 away games, as they also drew zero and lost two of these matches. It is a tough one to call who gets to draw first blood this coming Sunday. Athletic Bilbao managed to open the scoring in no less than seven of their previous 10 league games at home. Barcelona have been equally quick to get off the mark, scoring the opener in nine of their last 10 away games.

Less than three came out four times in the past ten encounters between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, as both teams not to score was a winning bet six times. Athletic Bilbao performed 0.6 goals on average, whereas Barcelona averaged 1.8 goals. Athletic Bilbao saw over 2.5 goals in four of their last ten matches across all tournaments, as they scored an average of 1.2 goals during this run. Over 2.5 goals appeared in four of the last ten matches that Barcelona played across all tournaments. They scored 1.4 times on average in the process.