LALIGA EA SPORTS 24/25
Athletic Club vs FC Barcelona: the champion seeks to close the 24/25 with victory
Published New:25/05/2025 - 01:37h
Updated New:25/05/2025 - 04:35h
Athletic vs Barça: A final dance full of emotions and uncertain futures for both teams
Athletic Club and FC Barcelona face each other in matchday 38 of LaLiga EA Sports with Hansi Flick's team looking for a victory to close an unforgettable season. The 'Culés' won the national treble, officially lifting the league title last week at Montjuïc.
For their part, Athletic has already secured their place in the next Champions League as fourth-placed, so they arrive with their homework done to the last match of the tournament at San Mamés. Ernesto Valverde's team failed to win the Europa League, but they did round off an excellent League with just 5 defeats.
In that sense, with only the prestige and the desire to close the season winning, both teams face each other in matchday 38 with very positive feelings for the work done, but contrasting realities ahead of the next season.
Reaction or stumble? Barça seeks revenge after defeat against Villarreal
While Barça has secured the future of all its key players for the 25/26 season, the Bilbao team may suffer several key losses in the next summer market, starting with Nico Williams. The winger sounded strongly last summer as a possible 'Azulgrana' reinforcement and, now, Real Madrid appears as a new suitor, in addition to Arsenal and other English 'heavyweights'.
The 'lions' will return to the Champions League for the first time since 14/15, but they will probably do so without their main star. The panorama of Barcelona looks very different, with the renewal of Lamine Yamal about to happen and all the contracts of its key players resolved, with the exception of Frenkie de Jong.
However, the Dutchman does not intend to hinder the signing of a new contract either, as his second half of the season was brilliant under Flick's orders. The team plans to make two or three additions, but there are no urgencies and there is enough time to tweak the squad line by line.
Before thinking fully about the summer market, Barça seeks to close the season winning, after last week's inconsequential stumble at home against Villarreal (2-3). This was the first defeat in the tournament this 2025 and, with one more victory, the 'Azulgrana' team will match its best second round in history, with 16 wins, 2 draws and only 1 defeat.
Last 5 matches of FC Barcelona in LaLiga
- 🔴2-3 against Villarreal at Montjuïc (matchday 37)
- 🟢 0-2 against Espanyol at Cornellà (matchday 36)
- 🟢 4-3 against Real Madrid at Montjuïc (matchday 35)
- 🟢 1-2 against Valladolid in Pucela (matchday 34)
- 🟢 1-0 against Mallorca at Montjuïc (matchday 33)
In front will be an Athletic that was also solid in the second half of the tournament, with only a couple of defeats against Atlético and Real Madrid away from home (both by 1-0). However, the team drew many matches (7), which is why it disengaged from the fight for the lead since mid-February.
Looking ahead to the last matchday, the Basques arrive with three wins in a row and an unbeaten run of five matches. In between, however, Ernesto Valverde's team suffered two defeats in the 'semis' of the Europa League against Manchester United (5-1 on aggregate). In the first round, Barcelona defeated Bilbao at Montjuïc with goals from Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski (2-1).
Last 5 matches of Athletic in LaLiga
- 🟢0-1 against Valencia at Mestalla (matchday 37)
- 🟢0-2 against Getafe in Madrid (matchday 36)
- 🟢1-0 against Alavés in Bilbao (matchday 35)
- 🟡0-0 against Real Sociedad at Anoeta (matchday 34)
- 🟢1-0 against Las Palmas in Bilbao (matchday 33)
Flick doesn't keep anything: What will be Barça's starting eleven for San Mamés?
As against Villarreal, it is likely that Hansi Flick will bet on his best available eleven for the last match of the season. With Ferran Torres, Ronald Araujo, Jules Koundé and Marc Bernal ruled out due to injury, the coach will have most of his starters available to visit a place that is always complicated.
In their last five visits to San Mamés, Barça has 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat (in 2019). For Sunday, Ter Stegen is expected to repeat in goal, with Eric García and Alejandro Balde as full-backs. Iñigo Martínez and Pau Cubarsí should repeat in the center of the defense.
In midfield, it is likely that Frenkie de Jong and Dani Olmo will return in place of Gavi and Fermín López as Pedri's companions, while Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski will also be in attack again.
In the second half, it is likely that Flick will take the opportunity to give minutes to Marc Casadó, substitute in the last matches, as well as to Pau Víctor and Pablo Torre, two of the possible discards for the next season. Andreas Christensen should also have prominence, with a good level in the final stretch of a season where he could only play the last month of competition.
Athletic will also go out with its best XI against Barcelona
In the case of Athletic, it is likely that Ernesto Valverde will also bet on a lineup with a majority of substitutes in the official farewell of Óscar de Marcos. The captain leaves after 16 years in what may also be the last night of Nico Williams with the Basques at San Mamés.
The winger maintains his termination clause at 58 million euros and, after having fulfilled the dream of playing in Europe with his brother Iñaki, he seems ready to make the leap to a big club. The 'lions' reach the end of the season with the entire squad available, although the Williams brothers and other starters have been touched in recent weeks.
Thus, the 24/25 season will come to an end with an authentic classic of Spanish football. Barça closes an unforgettable season where they obtained the national treble, in addition to laying the foundations of a solid project that has returned the illusion to all 'Barcelonismo' just one year after the abrupt farewell of Xavi Hernández.
- 📌 Follow the Athletic Club vs FC Barcelona match live on FCBN and find out everything, don't miss anything!
