The Barça plays the leadership alone in Madrid

The tightened of the calendar does not leave time to correct errors: the FC Barcelona, after grey parties against the Espanyol and Intercity, takes action this Sunday to confront to the Athletic of Madrid (21:00 hours), in a party that has purchased an extra commitment after the Real Madrid fell in The Ceramics.

Although in the last years the duels between Athletic and Barça have been some 'final', now adds more importance. To win, the ones of Xavi Hernández would be obtaining an advantage of three points on the eternal rival, that could be key in the career by the title. This yes, for this, first have to surpass to some 'colchoneros' that will not put the easy things in his stadium.

In spite of the 4-0 of the past season and the walk irregular of the Athletic in this course, the Barça knows that it can not trust a visit to the Metropolitan. The rojiblancos already have left clear that will put to proof a plan to minimise the virtues of the Barcelona and will be a crash that, probably, will define by the small details. The forcefulness, that has been missing him to the culés, is decisive.

And it is that that is, precisely, the factor that can mark the difference in the party of this Sunday. The Barça, to weigh that it has dominated with solvency his last two parties, has remained 'slept' in the areas: with a last manage without tarpaulin and without puntería, but also conceding a quantity of errors in own field that has derived in four goals against after the World-wide.

Against the Athletic will be key to recover the smell goleador and test to the defence rojiblanca, although it will not be the maximum artilleryman of the culés and of LaLiga, Robert Lewandowski. It will see the party from house after it confirmed his sanction by three parties. This forces to that players like Dembélé, Ansu Fati and Raphinha (likely trident for the crash) give a pass advance in what to the facet goleadora refers .

The defensive fortress, paramount

It is not a secret for anybody that, although the Athletic has signed a season very 'grey' until the moment, is a team that knows how put in aprietos to the rival and that 'okay' of the fast transitions and contragolpes to generate danger. It will be key that the Barça can keep ordered in own field, but also that the central step advance and show his firmer version.

Everything seems to indicate to that they will be Araújo and Christensen the attendants to star the defensive saga, with Koundé and Balde in the sides. The presence of the central charrúa can be decisive for the aerial duels, where the Athletic is very dominant. Have the '4', finally and after being went by three months in League, will be decisive for the picture culé.

Drops for the party

The good news for Xavi is that there are not players lesionados, but yes two that will lose the party by sanction. As we mentioned before, andl TAD rectified and approved the sanction to Robert Lewandowski, by what will be out of action by the next three parties. If the Barça attains no extrañar the goals of the Pole, will be an authentic 'victory' for the culés.

On the other hand, the trainer egarense will not be able to have Jordi Alba that saw the double yellow, in four minutes, in the last crash of LaLiga. The Barça decided not resorting the sanction and the left side will lose the visit to Madrid, although in his position will play surely Alejandro Balde or Marcos Alonso.

Technical index card of the party: Athletic of Madrid-FC Barcelona

• Party: Athletic of Madrid-FC Barcelona
• Competition: LaLiga
• Stadium: Cívitas Metropolitan
• Television: Sunday, 8 January 2022, to the 21:00 hours.
• Calendar 2022-2023: LaLiga Santander, Glass of Rey, Europe League, Supercopa of Spain.