Barcelona-Athletic Club betting preview

Barcelona-Athletic Club betting preview

The question that every soccer buff asks these days is this: what has hit Barcelona? Very few realize that sporting glories are cyclical in nature. Time is the biggest hindrance to sustained brilliance in soccer.

 

Barca are finding it the hard way. They extend their battle against time and their own poor form to one more match. Athletic Bilbao hovers around Camp Nou on this Sunday, more like African vultures zeroing in on the body of a half-dead lion.

 

Barcelona have reasons to treat this as a grudge match against the Basque team. It was the away fixture against Bilbao that first heralded the decline of Barca. In December last year, Bilbao effected the first wound on Barca of this season. It was then that other teams too smelled blood.

 

Barcelona have more reasons to press for a win. In spite of three consecutive defeats against Spanish teams in three different competitions, they are not entirely out of the title race in the La Liga. In fact, it remains their only chance of winning a trophy in this season.

 

Currently they are third in the league, four points behind Atletico Madrid and one point behind Real Madrid. And they play against Atletico on the final day of the season. If some other results go in their way, they still have an outside chance of lifting the crown.

 

Bilbao have more or less secured the fourth position. They do not have any realistic chance of overtaking Barca. Their recent form away from home should worry Barca. The team has gone seven away matches without a single loss.

 

Barca are hit by injury woes, particularly of defenders. Sergio Busquets, Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique are all injured. So is Neymar. Messi has to produce a miracle performance to lift the spirits of the Catalan giants.

 

Bilbao have also some injury scares: Moreno Mikel Rico, Carlos Gurpegui and Ibai Gomez are doubtful starters. The team will hope that Aritz Aduriz and Markel Susaeta will torment the depleted Barca defence.

Barcelona-Athletic Club Prediction

This is going to be a tough match Barcelona. If Messi shrugs off his indifferent form, Barca could roar back to the winning ways. Otherwise, their current miseries are likely to continue.

Over 3.5 Goals 1.75 @ Bet365

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