Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona

Barcelona will bring their triumphant 2024-25 La Liga campaign to a close on Sunday night with an away fixture against Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés.

Having already secured the league title with two matches remaining, the Catalans will look to cap off a stellar season with another win. Their opponents, Athletic Bilbao, have also enjoyed a strong campaign, clinching a spot in next season’s Champions League.

Though Athletic’s Europa League journey ended in the semi-finals with a defeat to Manchester United—denying them a dream final in their home country—their season has still been one to remember.

Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic Club has clinched a top-four spot in La Liga, securing their return to the Champions League for the 2025-26 season. They could match Atlético Madrid’s 73 points in third place but will remain fourth due to their head-to-head record. Similarly, fifth-placed Villarreal, trailing by three points, cannot overtake Athletic due to the same head-to-head tiebreaker.

With no pressure on this final match, Athletic are in top form, having won their last three games against Alavés, Getafe, and Valencia without conceding a goal. They boast the fourth-best home record in La Liga this season, earning 39 points from 18 matches, and have the league’s best home defensive record, conceding just 10 goals.

Barcelona, meanwhile, sealed the La Liga title with a 2-0 win over Espanyol on May 15, marking a triumphant first season for head coach Hansi Flick, who also won the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup. However, the champions are coming off a 3-2 home loss to Villarreal, their first domestic defeat of 2025, and will aim to avoid closing the season with back-to-back losses.

Barcelona have the best away record in La Liga, collecting 42 points from 18 matches, and are one goal shy of reaching 100 league goals this campaign, currently sitting at 99. They defeated Athletic 2-1 in the reverse fixture earlier this season, though last season’s meeting at San Mamés ended in a 0-0 draw. Athletic haven’t beaten Barcelona in La Liga since August 2019, highlighting the challenge they face against Spain’s dominant side.

Barcelona’s attacking trio of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski have shone brightly this season and will look to end the campaign on a high note at San Mamés on Sunday night.