Preview of the Barcelona vs Athletic Club October 22, 2023

bet tips Sport bet

by Arro

7 months ago 0 125

Preview of the Barcelona vs Athletic Club October 22, 2023

About the match

Barcelona vs. Athletic Club

LaLiga Round 10

Sun, Oct 22, 2023

19:00 UTC

Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys

Barcelona are the favorites to win this match, according to the bookmakers. They have a strong head-to-head record against Athletic Club, and they are playing at home.

Predicted lineups will be available a few days in advance, and the actual lineups will be announced about an hour before the match.

You can catch all the action on DAZN Germany / DAZN1.

News

Barcelona’s Crucial Week: Xavi’s Call to Rediscover Their Ideology

Xavi Emphasizes Barcelona’s Need to Rediscover Their Core Philosophy Ahead of a Crucial Week

Barcelona faces an intense week with three home matches in just six days. They kick off with a LaLiga clash against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, followed by a Champions League showdown with Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, and the highly anticipated El Clasico against Real Madrid next Saturday. As the team returns to LaLiga action after the international break, Real Madrid holds a three-point lead over Barcelona in the standings.

Xavi, Barcelona’s head coach, acknowledges the ups and downs they’ve experienced this season. Recent league matches saw them draw 2-2 against Mallorca and Granada, dropping crucial points. Xavi emphasized the need to “recover our ideology” and secure three points by playing their brand of football. Despite facing multiple player absences, he stressed that injuries should not serve as an excuse and that the team’s performance should remain high.

Xavi received some positive news regarding player fitness, with Alejandro Balde and Lamine Yamal declared fit for the Bilbao clash. However, key players like Frenkie de Jong, Jules Kounde, Pedri, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and Sergi Roberto remain unavailable. There is optimism surrounding Lewandowski’s return from an ankle injury, and he might make a comeback against Real Madrid. Xavi praised Lewandowski’s leadership and determination to recover.

Regarding potential returns, Xavi emphasized that they won’t rush any players back. Each player’s feelings and recovery progress will determine their return to the pitch.

Athletic Bilbao, managed by Ernesto Valverde, currently sits in fifth place in the league, four points behind Barcelona. Valverde, who previously led Barcelona to LaLiga titles and a Copa Del Rey during his tenure from 2017 to 2020, is expected to present a strong and tactically sound team. Xavi anticipates a challenging match and calls for the support of Barcelona’s fans.

Despite the injuries and the three-point gap with the league leaders, Xavi remains determined. He underlines the importance of hard work, perseverance, and continuous improvement as Barcelona aims to make its mark in LaLiga.

Injured and Suspended Players

Several key players from both teams are injured or suspended, which could affect the match lineup.

Barcelona:

Sergi Roberto (calf injury) – early November 2023
Robert Lewandowski (ankle injury) – early November 2023
Raphinha (hamstring injury) – early November 2023
Pedri (muscle injury) – doubtful
Jules Koundé (knee injury) – late November 2023
Frenkie de Jong (sprained ankle) – early November 2023

Athletic Club:

Yeray Álvarez (muscle injury) – early November 2023
Peru Nolaskoain (thigh injury) – doubtful
Mikel Vesga (muscle injury) – early November 2023
Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta (thigh injury) – mid November 2023

Head-to-Head

Barcelona have won the last 3 matches by a combined score of 11-2.
Barcelona have not lost to Athletic Club in LaLiga since January 2022.
Barcelona have kept a clean sheet in their last 2 LaLiga matches against Athletic Club.

Barcelona are the clear favorites to win the upcoming match against Athletic Club. They have a dominant head-to-head record against their opponents, and they are in good form. Athletic Club will need to be at their best if they want to get a result.

Based on the results of these 5 games

Barcelona

Athletic Club

For bet

Despite the absence of Lewandowski, De Jong, and even Pedri, Barcelona still has a chance to win. A Barcelona win is a good option, but the better option is over 1.5 goals. Although the head-to-head record says otherwise, this option is still good. And the best option with no risk is a Barcelona draw.