FC Barcelona Vs. Athletic Bilbao (16:00 Channel Ties and Goal Television)

The FC Barcelona receives this Saturday in the Camp Nou the visit of the Athletic Club of Bilbao. After the first stop FIFA of the new season, the men of Luis Enrique restart the domestic competition to confront to one of the best teams of the League BBVA: the Athletic of Ernesto Valverde. Although the Barça is the clear favourite for the meeting when having won with soltura in the two first days (Elche 3-0 and Villarreal 0-1) and be leader of the competition, the "lions" arrive to Barcelona with win to present battle. Luckily, Luis Enrique will have to his disposal to all the players of the team except Vermaelen, lesionado, and of the Uruguayan Luis Suárez, sanctioned.

The clashes between the Barça and the Athletic are a guarantee of show and goals. The Barcelona are leaders in solitary of the League and receive to the Athletic with the look put in the derbi Madrilenian of the Bernabéu. If the culés are able to carry the three points in front of the "lions" of Valverde, could expand his advantage in the classification with regard to Real Madrid and Athletic. Definitely, an opportunity that it is necessary to try take advantage of. But it will not be simple, the teams of Ernesto Valverde are used to to put him the very difficult things to the Barça, that will have to use all its skill if it wants to surpass to his rival. In favour of the Catalans are the last precedents, that -at least on the paper- decant clearly the scales. The two teams have confronted until 83 times in the Camp Nou. The balance is of 57 triumphs culés, 17 defeats and nine ties. Regarding computation of goals: the Barça has marked 193 goals and has received 90.

From the season 2001-02, the Basques have not been able to win in the Camp Nou. It was on 24 November 2001; in that occasion, the Athletic achieved the three points with a goal of Ezquerro in the minute 83 The final result was of 1-2. Curiously, this victory of the 'lions' produced some months after the famous goleada Barcelona in which the current technician of the first team, Luis Enrique, concretised a 'hat-trick': the Barça won 7-0 the previous season. From this Barcelona defeat, the rest have been victories -10- and two ties: 2-2, in the season 2002-03; and 1-1, in following, the 2003-04.

SEE ON-LINE - Time and television of the party Barcelona-Athletic. In Spain, can see in direct (Saturday 13 September, from the 16:00 hours) through Channel Ties and Goal Television. Also it can follow on-line through Yomvi and Goal Stadium, that will offer the meeting with access from any PC, tablet or smartphone (only for accesses from Spain). Besides, different portals, like Rojadirecta, Bwin or Justin TV offer to see in streaming the party through platforms P2P (international signal).

The Barcelona team will contest the third day of League with all the players of the first available team except Alves, Masip and Vermaelen, with annoyances, and of Luis Suárez, sanctioned. Besides neither they will be Bartra, Rafinha and Douglas by technical decision. With Neymar totally recovered and Leo Messi like a fixed in the Barcelona attack, everything aims to that the third attacker in discord of the FC Barcelona will be Pedro Rodríguez. Regarding the goal,  the recovery of Ter Stegen reopens the debate with Claudio Bravo, the one who has been headline in the two first days of League and has not fit any goal.

In the defence, the annoyances of the central French Mathieu do that the couple Hammered-Mascherano was the one who have more possibilities to play in front of the Athletic. Regarding the sides, after the drop of Alves the couple Montoya-Jordi Alba posits like the theoretical headline. In the centre of the field could produce the entrance of Xavi Hernández -acting in the two first days- beside Busquets and Rakitic. Iniesta lost the last party in front of the Villarreal by an injury and Luis Enrique could opt for giving rest to the midfield player manchego.

For the third official commitment of the season, Luis Enrique will have to his disposal to 16 players of the first team: Claudio Bravo, Ter Stegen, Montoya, Hammered, Mathieu, Mascherano, Jordi Alba, Adriano, Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Iniesta, Sergi Roberto, Rakitic, Pedro, Leo Messi and Neymar. By part of the players of the filial, Sandro and Munir -that have trained with the first team-, have gone in in the announcement.