After Real Madrid’s triumph against Espanyol, Barça is obliged to beat Athletic Club in San Mamés, a particularly difficult field, to recover the nine points difference at the head of the Santander League with respect to the whites. The Catalans recover Robert Lewandowski for such an important match.
The top scorer of the competition with 15 goals, already recovered from a muscular overload, will start in the attacking line for the Barcelona fans along with Raphinha and Ferran Torres, who will play his fourth consecutive game as a starter. Both the Valencian and the Brazilian winger will play the game warned of a penalty for accumulating cards.
The classic against the madridistas next Sunday, decisive for the outcome of the title, would also be lost, Sergio Busquets if he sees a yellow card. The one from Badia will come out against the lions as the only defensive pivot while Gavi, back after suspension, and Frenkie de Jong will play inside.
On the defensive line, Barça also has the important absence of Ronald Araújo, sent off in the previous match against Valencia. Without the Uruguayan central defender, Sergi Roberto will return to the position of right-back against the Basques after several games playing in the center of the field, his original zone.
In this way, Koundé leaves the right lane behind and will be the right-footed center back, a position where he feels more comfortable. His partner in the backbone will be Christensen and the left-back will be the youth squad player Balde, already established as the team’s starter to the detriment of Jordi Alba.
This is the Barça lineup to try to storm San Mamés, where they have not won since January 6, 2021 (2-3): Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Jules Koundé, Andreas Christensen, Alejandro Balde; Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi; Raphinha, Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski.
For its part, the team coached by Ernesto Valverde will seek three points that will bring it closer to the European positions with the following eleven players: Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Vivian, Iñigo Martínez, Balenziaga; Dani Garcia, Vesga; Nico Williams, Raúl García, Berenguer and Iñaki Williams.
Consult all the results of the Santander League.
