Barcelona bounced back from their Copa del Rey exit with a hard fought 1-0 victory over Athletic Club. Lamine Yamal’s stunning strike sealed three vital points and restored Barça’s four point lead at the top of La Liga ahead of their Champions League clash with Newcastle
FC Barcelona bowed out of the Copa del Rey after a courageous performance against Atlético Madrid in the semi-final. Despite winning the second leg 3-0, the Catalan side fell short on aggregate, losing the tie 4-3. It was a night that reflected both the resilience and fighting spirit of Hansi Flick’s team, who pushed Atlético until the very last minute and came agonisingly close to completing a historic comeback.
From the very first whistle, Barça approached the game with relentless intensity and unwavering belief. Determined to overturn the deficit, the team maintained constant pressure on Atlético Madrid and never allowed their opponents a moment of comfort. Standout performances from Pau Cubarsí, Marc Bernal, Lamine Yamal, and Pedri helped Barcelona dominate large phases of the match, as their composure, creativity, and control drove the team forward throughout the night.
Their collective effort powered Barça to a convincing 3-0 victory in the second leg for Hansi Flick’s men. However, the damage from the first leg ultimately proved decisive, as the aggregate scoreline meant that Barcelona’s impressive display was still not enough to secure a place in the final.
While the result highlighted the team’s fighting mentality, the match also delivered a significant setback for Barcelona in the form of injuries to both starting full-backs.
Jules Koundé suffered a mid-belly hamstring injury (biceps femoris) in his left thigh during the semifinal clash, and the French defender is expected to be sidelined for approximately four to five weeks. Meanwhile, Alejandro Balde has been diagnosed with a distal biceps femoris injury in his left hamstring, also sustained during the same fixture. The Spanish left back is expected to remain out until the international break in March, roughly four weeks.
These injuries come as a major concern for Hansi Flick as Barcelona enters a crucial stage of the season. With fixtures coming thick and fast and the team still fighting for two pieces of silverware, the absence of key players such as Jules Koundé, Alejandro Balde, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong could present a significant challenge for the squad.
Barcelona must now quickly regroup and shift its focus to the remaining competitions. With their Copa del Rey campaign now over, the emphasis will firmly move to La Liga, where the Catalan giants will aim to sustain their title push during a demanding run of fixtures.
Adding further pressure to the title race, Real Madrid closed the gap at the top of La Liga to just one point after Federico Valverde scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner against Celta Vigo. Barcelona will now travel to San Mamés for a crucial match on matchday 27 against Athletic Club, who are unbeaten in their last five La Liga games.
The Catalan giants will be aiming to restore their four-point advantage at the top of the table. Interestingly, Athletic Club also suffered disappointment in the Copa del Rey semifinals after being eliminated by Real Sociedad. As a result, both sides will approach this encounter with added determination and intensity as they look to bounce back from their respective cup eliminations.
Hansi Flick made a total of four changes to the starting XI from the side that faced Atlético Madrid. Marcus Rashford starts on the left flank in place of Raphinha, while Dani Olmo comes into the attacking midfield role, replacing Fermín López. In the double pivot, Marc Casadó replaces Pedri and partners with Marc Bernal.
Eric García also returns to the starting lineup after missing the Atlético clash due to suspension. He is deployed at right back in place of the injured Jules Koundé and will also wear the captain’s armband for tonight’s fixture. Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Marc Bernal, João Cancelo, Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, and Joan García retain their places in the starting XI.
Ernesto Valverde opted for a 4-2-3-1 setup for the clash against Barcelona, his former club. A notable exclusion from the starting eleven was Nico Williams, who is still recovering from a groin injury.
Referee José Luis Munuera Montero blew the whistle to get the match underway, and Athletic Bilbao immediately looked to attack with intent. Within moments, Berenguer delivered a low cross from the left flank, but João Cancelo could only divert it just over the crossbar. The chance could have been extremely dangerous had the ball been a few inches lower.
The home side started brightly, launching consecutive attacks in the opening five minutes and putting Barcelona under early pressure.
Barcelona responded in the 6th minute when Ferran Torres came close to opening the scoring. Lamine Yamal cut inside from the right flank and picked out the Spanish forward in the box, but Unai Simón reacted brilliantly, sprawling to block the effort and push it behind for a corner. The resulting set piece fell to Cancelo outside the area, but his long-range attempt sailed over the bar.
A couple of minutes later, Athletic suffered an early setback. Unai Gómez fell awkwardly on his left knee after coming under pressure from Marc Bernal. The winger remained on the ground for several moments before attempting to continue, but Ernesto Valverde was eventually forced into an early change. Robert Navarro replaced Gómez as the home fans rose to applaud the injured winger.
During the opening fifteen minutes, Athletic Bilbao looked the sharper of the two sides. They pressed aggressively off the ball and worked hard to regain possession quickly.
In the 19th minute, Selton Sánchez brought down Marc Casadó, giving Barcelona a free kick in a dangerous position. Marcus Rashford stepped over the ball before leaving it for Yamal, who returned the pass to the Englishman. Rashford burst toward the byline and delivered a low cross, but the Athletic defence reacted quickly to clear the danger.
Two minutes later, Mikel Jauregizar attempted a long-range strike that flew off target. Moments after releasing the shot, Gerard Martín caught the midfielder, sending him to the ground.
At the 25-minute mark, Eric García and Adama Boiro collided heavily while sliding for a loose ball. Fortunately, both players were able to continue after a brief stoppage.
Barcelona threatened again shortly afterwards. Lamine Yamal dribbled in from the right wing before unleashing a shot that drifted comfortably wide of the post.
Six minutes later, Berenguer squandered a promising crossing opportunity. Instead of delivering the ball into the box, he attempted to beat his marker, allowing Barcelona to recover possession after the winger lost control.
A major chance soon arrived for the visitors. Marc Casadó attempted a pass into the right channel but was brought down by Aymeric Laporte. The ball broke kindly for João Cancelo, who surged forward on the left, yet Unai Simón produced another scrambling save to deny him.
Yamal, however, struggled to influence the match during this period. Clearly frustrated, he committed a foul on Adama Boiro, who had been playing confidently out from the back. The duel between the two players intensified shortly afterwards, with the pair involved in a brief shoving exchange.
Athletic were awarded a free kick, which was clipped forward into the box. Laporte was then upended by Eric García as he charged toward the ball, landing awkwardly on his head but fortunately escaping serious injury.
Just before the regulation 45 minutes expired, Robert Navarro found space behind the Barcelona defence on the left flank. The substitute attempted a delicate chipped effort across the goal, but the ball drifted harmlessly wide as the score remained 0-0.
The fourth official indicated a minimum of three minutes of added time at the end of the first half.
Barcelona nearly took the lead during the first minute of stoppage time. A low corner from the right was flicked on at the near post and flashed across the face of the goal past a diving Unai Simón, narrowly missing the base of the left post by Ferran Torres.
Moments later, Dani Olmo lofted a precise pass toward Yamal on the right flank. The youngster delivered a cross into the box where Marcus Rashford rose highest, but his header went behind.
There was no time for the resulting corner as referee José Luis Munuera Montero blew the whistle for half-time, bringing an entertaining opening period to a close with both sides heading into the tunnel level at 0-0. Despite enjoying spells of possession, the visitors ended the first half on a disappointing note, failing to register a single shot on target during the opening 45 minutes.
Hansi Flick made his first change at the start of the second half, introducing Pedri in place of Marc Bernal. Ernesto Valverde responded with his second substitution of the night, bringing on Oihan Sancet for Selton Sánchez.
Pedri immediately injected creativity into Barcelona’s attack. The midfielder quickly got involved in the build-up, slipping a pass to Dani Olmo, who then found Marcus Rashford on the left edge of the box. The English forward shifted the ball onto his right foot and attempted to curl an effort toward goal, but Unai Simón reacted sharply, producing a full-stretch diving save to deny him.
Barcelona continued to push forward moments later. A corner from the left was comfortably cleared by the Athletic defence, yet the visitors maintained the pressure. Rashford was once again picked out on the left flank and delivered a dangerous cross toward the back post. Ferran Torres stretched to reach it but could not quite connect with Pau Cubarsí’s flick on.
In the 50th minute, Alejandro Rego became the first player to enter the referee’s book after accidentally stepping on Olmo’s right leg during a challenge.
Seven minutes later, Pau Cubarsí became Barcelona’s first player to receive a yellow card from referee José Luis Munuera Montero after bringing down Iñaki Williams while contesting a lofted ball.
Athletic Bilbao nearly broke the deadlock shortly afterwards. Oihan Sancet found himself in a promising position inside the area, but Joan García produced a crucial save to keep the score level.
The hosts continued to threaten as Dani Vivian surged down the left side of the penalty area and cleverly poked a low pass toward Sancet using the outside of his right foot. The midfielder met it for the first time with a side-footed effort, but García tracked the shot well and parried it away. The rebound fell to Iñaki Williams, who could only bundle his follow-up wide of the target.
Athletic Club regained the momentum they had shown during the first half and continued to put Barcelona under sustained pressure. In response, Hansi Flick turned to his bench and made a triple substitution in an attempt to wrest control of the game. Robert Lewandowski replaced the struggling Ferran Torres, who had managed only one goal contribution in his last 11 league appearances. Marcus Rashford also made way for Raphinha, while Fermín López came on in place of Dani Olmo.
Four minutes later, Ernesto Valverde’s side squandered a golden opportunity. The hosts capitalised on a dreadful, misplaced pass from João Cancelo that allowed them to break forward. Oihan Sancet, who had been heavily involved in Athletic’s attacking play since coming on, slipped a pass into the path of Mikel Jauregizar inside the box. Instead of shooting, the midfielder opted to push the ball further left toward Robert Navarro, sending him into a wider position and ultimately wasting a promising chance.
Barcelona, however, found the breakthrough in the 68th minute thanks to a moment of pure individual brilliance from Lamine Yamal. Pedri threaded a perfectly weighted pass into the path of the La Masia winger, who cut inside from the right flank. After evading Adama Boiro, who slipped while attempting to defend, Yamal curled a stunning left-footed effort off the post and into the top left corner.
The goal was remarkable not only for its quality but also for its difficulty, carrying an expected goals value of just 0.10. It marked Yamal’s 14th league goal of the season and his 33rd overall goal contribution in all competitions. These numbers are extraordinary for an 18-year-old who primarily operates from the wing rather than a central role, yet consistently steps up when his team needs him most.
Two of Barcelona’s standout performers combined to give the Catalan side a 1-0 lead somewhat against the run of play. Despite generating a lower expected goals tally, Flick’s men were ahead on the scoreboard thanks to moments of individual excellence.
Special credit also goes to Fermín López for his intelligent off-the-ball movement during the buildup. The midfielder sprinted away from his marker, dragging the defender with him and creating a pocket of space for Pedri to receive the ball freely. That movement allowed the Canary Island midfielder the time and space to deliver the decisive assist for Yamal’s goal.
Ernesto Valverde responded with two further substitutions as he looked to restore Athletic’s momentum. The already booked Alejandro Rego was withdrawn for Mikel Vesga, while Gorka Guruzeta replaced a largely ineffective Iñaki Williams.
Barcelona’s attack began to look livelier as Yamal, Raphinha, and Pedri combined well in the final third. In one promising move, the trio linked up before the ball reached Raphinha, but the Brazilian hesitated instead of shooting, and Unai Simón comfortably gathered the ball.
A few minutes later, Dani Vivian attempted an effort from distance, but his shot sailed over the crossbar as Athletic continued to search for an equaliser. Shortly afterwards, Álex Berenguer delivered a cross from the right flank, though it failed to find a teammate inside the box.
Valverde then made his final substitution of the evening, withdrawing Mikel Jauregizar, who had been involved in several of Athletic’s attacking sequences, and introducing Éder García in a more attacking change.
Moments later, Marc Casadó went down with a knock. The travelling Barcelona supporters had briefly hoped to see Xavi Espart introduced for a potential debut, but with the scoreline delicately poised at 1-0, Flick opted for a more cautious approach.
Ronald Araújo replaced Casadó, allowing the Uruguayan defender to partner Pau Cubarsí at the back and captain the side for the final twelve minutes. The change triggered a reshuffle across the pitch. Eric García moved into the double pivot alongside Pedri, Gerard Martín shifted to his natural left back role, while João Cancelo switched to right back.
In the 86th minute, play was halted once more when Andoni Gorosabel inadvertently caught a Lewandowski elbow while attempting to challenge the Polish striker, who was simultaneously being fouled by the Athletic right back.
Athletic pushed forward in search of a late equaliser, but Barcelona looked increasingly comfortable defensively, particularly with three centre-backs on the pitch and Pedri dictating the tempo in midfield.
The fourth official indicated five minutes of added time.
In the 93rd minute, after Gorka Guruzeta saw an effort blocked inside the Barcelona penalty area, Dani Vivian was shown a yellow card for a late stamping challenge on Eric García as the defender slid in to make a clearance.
There was little further action before referee José Luis Munuera Montero blew the final whistle, confirming a hard-fought victory for Barcelona. The Blaugrana collected all three points and restored their four-point lead over their arch rivals at the end of Matchday 26.
Attention now turns to their upcoming UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Newcastle United at St James’ Park. The Magpies are expected to be without key midfielder Bruno Guimarães, along with several other players, while Barcelona will likely miss the trio of Frenkie de Jong, Alejandro Balde, and Jules Koundé.
Hansi Flick may face a selection dilemma ahead of the Newcastle game. One option would be to introduce Ronald Araújo to help deal with Newcastle’s aerial threat. The alternative would be to keep the same defensive structure that was used against Bilbao.
However, Araújo’s performances in several high-stakes Champions League matches over the past three seasons have been underwhelming, including games against PSG, Dortmund, Inter Milan, and Chelsea. Because of this, it would not be surprising if Flick chooses to retain the same back four that started against Bilbao.
Looking ahead to their domestic fixtures, Athletic Club will travel to the Estadi Municipal de Montilivi to face Girona in their next La Liga outing.
FC Barcelona, meanwhile, will return home after their trip to St James’ Park for a run of matches at home, beginning with a Matchday 28 clash against 14th-placed Sevilla. That will be followed by the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie against Newcastle before another league fixture against Rayo Vallecano.
