Matchday 13 in La Liga sees Barcelona take on Athletic at the Camp Nou on November 22. Barcelona vs. Athletic: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Barcelona
After the last round, the Catalans moved closer to the top spot in the table. Barcelona secured an important victory in a thrilling away match against Celta (4-2), which kept them in second place in the league, reducing the gap to Real Madrid from 5 to 3 points. Overall, Hans Flick's side have won 9 of their last 12 matches this season in La Liga, with all 3 setbacks occurring away from home. At the Camp Nou, the club has won five consecutive matches, sharing the lead for the fewest goals conceded (3). Notably, Barcelona remains the highest-scoring team in the championship, having netted 32 goals. The club has consistently scored in 32 consecutive La Liga matches.
- At least 3 goals have been scored in 9 consecutive Barcelona matches in La Liga.
- The club's uncompromising home streak in this tournament extends to 9 games (8 wins, 1 loss).
- Both teams have scored in Barcelona's last 7 league matches.
Predicted lineup for Barcelona (4-3-3)
Wojciech Szczesny – Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Ronald Araujo, Alex Balde – Frenkie de Jong, Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez – Lamine Yamal, Marcus Rashford, Robert Lewandowski.
Unavailable due to injuries are goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen and midfielder Gavi. Midfielder Frenkie de Jong is suspended. Goalkeeper Joan Garcia and forward Raphinha Dias may return after injuries. Midfielder Pedri's participation is in doubt.
Athletic
Before the international break, the team narrowly defeated Oviedo (1-0), ending a three-match winless streak in La Liga (1 draw, 2 losses). However, the victory over the league newcomer was only Athletic's second win in their last 9 tournament matches. More than half of the games in this period ended in defeat (5 out of 9). The Basques have come close to the European competition zone, but their current 7th place in the table likely doesn't meet the club's ambitions and goals. Ernesto Valverde's side is 8 points short of breaking into the top four and securing a Champions League spot for next season.
- Athletic has conceded in 8 of their last 10 La Liga matches.
- No more than 2 goals have been scored in 7 of the team's last 9 league games.
- The Basques have won with a (+1.5) handicap in 7 consecutive La Liga matches.
Predicted lineup for Athletic (4-2-3-1)
Unai Simon – Yuri Berchiche, Aymeric Laporte, Daniel Vivian, Andoni Gorosabel – Mikel Haurregui, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta – Nico Williams, Selton Sanchez, Alex Berenguer – Gorka Guruzeta.
Due to injuries, defender Unai Echelus, midfielder Benat Prados, forwards Inaki Williams and Maroan Sanadi will not be available. Midfielder Oihan Sancet has recovered from injury, and defender Inigo Lekue has served his suspension.
Referee
Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez (Spain)
Matches – 22 (La Liga, 2024/25–2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 102;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.6;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 25;
Penalties – 45%.
Match Prediction: Barcelona vs. Athletic
After an October slump, Barcelona has bounced back with two consecutive wins in La Liga, winning 9 of their 12 matches this season. It's noteworthy that rare points losses occur strictly away from home. At the Camp Nou, Hans Flick's side has won all 5 league matches. Importantly, Barcelona should have extra motivation as they return to their home stadium, Camp Nou, for the first time since May 2023.
Athletic generally struggles to earn points, and away games regularly prove challenging regardless of the opponent's level. This autumn, Ernesto Valverde's team has earned just 1 point from 4 away league matches. Now, they face one of their most challenging opponents. The Basques have lost 6 of their last 7 La Liga encounters with Barcelona, and when considering only matches in Catalonia, Athletic has been defeated in 6 consecutive games in this tournament.
Most likely, the hosts will secure 3 points. Prediction – Barcelona Victory
