Barcelona welcome Athletic Club to Spotify Camp Nou on Thursday, August 27, 2026, in their rearranged Matchday 1 fixture. Kickoff is scheduled for 21:00 CEST. Both teams have already played once because this game was postponed following the 2026 World Cup.
Barcelona began their title defence with an emphatic 5-0 victory away to Elche, while Athletic suffered a 3-1 home defeat against Sevilla. The recent head-to-head record strongly favors Hansi Flick's side.
Barcelona have won six consecutive meetings in all competitions and have conceded only once during that run. Athletic now face another difficult test as new head coach Edin Terzić tries to establish his ideas against the defending La Liga champions.
Read Also: Rodri to Barcelona Transfer Latest: Man City Reject £55m Bid
Head-to-Head Summary
Barcelona have dominated the recent competitive meetings.
Across the last 10 matches in all competitions:
Barcelona wins: 8
Athletic Club wins: 1
Draws: 1
Barcelona goals: 21
Athletic Club goals: 5
Athletic's only victory during that sequence came in the Copa del Rey quarter-final in January 2024, when they won 4-2 after extra time at San Mamés.
Since then, Barcelona have taken firm control of the matchup. Their current six-game winning streak includes league, Copa and Super Cup fixtures, with Athletic scoring only once across those six defeats.
Last 10 Meetings
The most recent competitive meetings are:
March 7, 2026 – La Liga: Athletic Club 0-1 Barcelona
January 7, 2026 – Spanish Super Cup: Barcelona 5-0 Athletic Club
November 22, 2025 – La Liga: Barcelona 4-0 Athletic Club
May 25, 2025 – La Liga: Athletic Club 0-3 Barcelona
January 8, 2025 – Spanish Super Cup: Athletic Club 0-2 Barcelona
August 24, 2024 – La Liga: Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Club
March 3, 2024 – La Liga: Athletic Club 0-0 Barcelona
January 24, 2024 – Copa del Rey: Athletic Club 4-2 Barcelona
October 22, 2023 – La Liga: Barcelona 1-0 Athletic Club
March 12, 2023 – La Liga: Athletic Club 0-1 Barcelona
The most striking trend is Athletic's difficulty creating chances against Barcelona recently. They have failed to score in five of the last six meetings, while Barcelona have scored 17 goals over the same period.
The most recent match was closer, with Barcelona winning only 1-0 at San Mamés in March, but the broader trend still points heavily toward the Catalan side.
Read Also: Ayyoub Bouaddi to Manchester City: £86m Deal Agreed for Lille Midfielder
Barcelona Current Form
Barcelona made an excellent start to the 2026/27 campaign with a 5-0 victory at Elche. Raphinha and Fermín López scored twice each, while summer signing Karim Adeyemi also found the net. Anthony Gordon made an immediate impact from the bench with two assists.
Including the end of last season, Barcelona's last five competitive league matches are:
Elche 0-5 Barcelona
Valencia 3-1 Barcelona
Barcelona 3-1 Real Betis
Alavés 1-0 Barcelona
Barcelona 2-0 Real Madrid
That represents three wins and two defeats, although the two losses came after Barcelona had already secured last season's league title. More significant is their home strength. Barcelona completed the 2025/26 La Liga season without dropping a single point at home, winning all 19 league matches at Camp Nou.
Athletic Club Current Form
Athletic's competitive start under Terzić was much more difficult. They lost 3-1 to Sevilla at San Mamés, with Aitor Paredes scoring their only goal. Athletic played most of the match with 10 men following Yuri Berchiche's early dismissal, which significantly changed the contest.
Including their final four league matches from last season, Athletic's last five competitive results are:
Athletic Club 1-3 Sevilla
Real Madrid 4-2 Athletic Club
Athletic Club 1-1 Celta Vigo
Espanyol 2-0 Athletic Club
Athletic Club 0-1 Valencia
That gives Athletic one draw and four defeats, with four goals scored and 11 conceded. The club also finished only 12th in La Liga last season with 45 points, making Terzić's arrival an important attempt to reverse a disappointing campaign.
Barcelona Team News and Injuries
Barcelona remain without Frenkie de Jong, who is recovering from a medial collateral ligament injury in his right knee. Roony Bardghji is also a long-term absentee after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury earlier in August. There is more positive news concerning Gavi.
Tests after the Elche match confirmed that the knock to his right knee was only a bruise rather than a serious injury. New signing Rodri has now trained with the group, and Flick has indicated that the midfielder could receive his first Barcelona minutes against Athletic. Lamine Yamal is available, although Flick has acknowledged that he is still building towards full fitness following his summer break.
Read Also: Julian Alvarez Transfer Latest: Arsenal Waiting as Barcelona Hopes Fade
Athletic Club Team News and Injuries
Athletic have two confirmed injury absences. Beñat Prados will miss the match after suffering a minor muscular injury in his left thigh. Central defender Dani Vivian is also unavailable. Terzić confirmed that the Spain international still needs more training before returning to competitive action.
Vivian's absence is particularly relevant against a Barcelona attack that scored five times in its opening league match. Athletic otherwise retain key attacking options including Oihan Sancet, Iñaki Williams and Gorka Guruzeta.
Tactical Match Analysis
Barcelona's biggest strength remains their ability to create pressure through movement between the lines. Against Elche, Raphinha and Fermín were particularly effective, while Adeyemi and Yamal provided width and direct running. Gordon's introduction added another threat against a tiring defence.
Athletic cannot afford to defend too passively. Allowing Barcelona to establish continuous possession around the penalty area would give Flick's attacking players too many opportunities to combine.
Terzić has indicated that Athletic intend to maintain their own identity rather than simply defend deep. That could make the match more open, but it also carries risk.
Barcelona's ability to attack quickly after winning possession means an unsuccessful Athletic press could leave space behind midfield. The absence of Vivian further complicates Athletic's defensive task.
At the other end, Barcelona's high defensive line can be tested by direct runs. Iñaki Williams offers the pace to exploit space behind the defence, while Sancet can be dangerous when receiving the ball between midfield and attack.
Athletic therefore need to be efficient when transition opportunities appear. They are unlikely to receive many chances if Barcelona control possession as expected.
Key Players to Watch
1. Raphinha
Raphinha began the season with two goals against Elche and remains one of Barcelona's most reliable attacking threats. His movement and finishing could be particularly difficult for an Athletic defence missing Vivian.
2. Fermín López
Fermín also scored twice in the 5-0 win and offers aggressive movement from midfield into the penalty area. Athletic must track his runs rather than focusing only on Barcelona's forwards.
3. Oihan Sancet
Sancet is one of Athletic's most important creative players. If the visitors are to trouble Barcelona, his ability to receive possession in dangerous central areas will be important.
4. Iñaki Williams
Williams gives Athletic a natural weapon against Barcelona's high line. His pace could create chances if Terzić's side can recover possession and play forward quickly.
What the Numbers Tell Us
The most relevant statistics favor Barcelona clearly:
Barcelona have won eight of the last 10 competitive meetings.
Athletic have won once, with one draw.
Barcelona have outscored Athletic 21-5 across those games.
Barcelona have won the last six meetings.
Athletic have failed to score in five of those six.
Barcelona opened this season with a 5-0 away victory.
Athletic opened with a 3-1 home defeat.
Barcelona won all 19 home league matches last season.
Athletic's main source of encouragement is that the most recent meeting was decided by only one goal. However, the wider trend remains strongly in Barcelona's favor.
Who Has the Advantage?
Barcelona have a clear statistical advantage. Their recent H2H dominance, outstanding home record and impressive opening performance at Elche all point in the same direction.
Athletic's challenge is made harder by their current run of competitive results and the absence of Vivian against one of La Liga's most dangerous attacks. A draw remains possible if Athletic can defend with greater discipline than they showed against Sevilla and use Williams effectively on the counterattack.
Their 0-0 draw with Barcelona in March 2024 demonstrated that they can frustrate the Catalans when their defensive organisation is strong. However, the current evidence does not suggest an evenly balanced matchup. Barcelona's recent record against Athletic, stronger form, and home advantage give Flick's side the clear edge.
Conclusion
Barcelona vs Athletic Club brings together two teams that made very different starts to the new La Liga season. Barcelona's 5-0 victory over Elche showed that the defending champions have returned with considerable attacking quality.
Athletic, meanwhile, must respond quickly after their 3-1 home defeat to Sevilla under new coach Edin Terzić. Recent history makes the challenge even greater for the visitors. Barcelona have won eight of the last 10 competitive meetings and each of the last six, while Athletic have struggled consistently to score in the fixture.
Athletic's pace in transition offers a potential route to trouble Barcelona's high defensive line, but they will need a much stronger defensive performance to remain competitive. The H2H record, current form and Barcelona's exceptional home record give the hosts a clear statistical advantage.