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Barcelona faced yet another intense battle with Marcelino's Athletic Bilbao side earlier today and emerged with a crucial 2-1 victory. Athletic Bilbao were impressive in the second half but lacked a distinct cutting edge in the final third against a Barcelona outfit that continues to improve under Ronald Koeman.
Barcelona are now level on points with Real Madrid and might be in contention for the La Liga title. The Catalan giants were impressive on the pitch and coasted to their fifth consecutive victory in La Liga.
Barcelona made an impressive start to the game as Lionel Messi, Pedri, and Antoine Griezmann put pressure on Athletic Bilbao's defensive lines with their intricate play. Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann did have a few chances in the opening stages of the game but were thwarted by Unai Simon.
Barcelona's first goal came from a piece of Lionel Messi magic. The Argentine genius was fouled at the edge of the penalty area and responded by floating a sumptuous free-kick into the top corner to open the scoring for the Catalan giants. Athletic Bilbao were unable to fashion opportunities in the first half as Barcelona dominated the proceedings at the Camp Nou.
Athletic Bilbao were in no mood to approach the rest of the game with a submissive attitude, however, and found their equaliser against the run of play minutes into the second half. The goal drew a strong reaction from Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao spent much of the remainder of the match in their own half.
Barcelona finally broke through Athletic Bilbao's defences after an exquisite passing move involving Pedri, Jordi Alba, Ousmane Dembele, and Oscar Mingueza handed Antoine Griezmann a well-deserved goal on a silver platter. Athletic Bilbao pushed for yet another equaliser towards the end of the game but were unable to pull off an upset against a resurgent Barcelona side.
Barcelona Player Ratings
Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 6.5/10
Marc-Andre ter Stegen had very little to do throughout the game as Barcelona dominated the ball against Athletic Bilbao. The German shot-stopper could do nothing about the Basques' only goal of the game and was effective with his ball distribution.
Ronald Araujo - 7.5/10
Ronald Araujo barely put a foot wrong against Athletic Bilbao and delivered yet another imposing performance for Barcelona. The fact that the Catalans have never lost a league game with the Uruguayan youngster in the starting line-up is a testament to Araujo's impact on the team.
Samuel Umtiti - 7/10
Samuel Umtiti had a comfortable first half and made his mark on the game with his excellent distribution of the ball. The French defender put in a commendable shift and made a strong case for himself against Athletic Bilbao.
Oscar Mingueza - 6/10
Oscar Mingueza was visibly uncomfortable on the right flank and was partly at fault for Athletic Bilbao's equaliser. The La Masia graduate did make amends with an excellent assist for Griezmann's goal
Jordi Alba - 6/10
Jordi Alba did trouble Athletic Bilbao with his runs in the final third but his own goal in the second half is yet another indication of the left-back's propensity for high-profile errors.
Miralem Pjanic - 7/10
Miralem Pjanic had one of his best games for Barcelona against Athletic Bilbao and controlled the tempo of the game in the midfield. The Bosnian midfielder pushed forward on a few occasions and nearly scored in the second half.
Frenkie de Jong - 7.5/10
Frenkie de Jong occupied a deeper role against Athletic Bilbao and dominated the middle of the pitch. The Dutch midfielder eased through spaces on the pitch and was Barcelona's metronome on the day.
Pedri - 7/10
Pedri tormented Ander Capa on the left flank and had some glorious touches of the ball. The teenage prodigy won the ball on several occasions and was a livewire in the midfield.
Ousmane Dembele - 6.5/10
Ousmane Dembele had several bright moments throughout the game but was unable to create concrete chances for his side. The pacy winger did improve in the second half and had an important role to play in the winning goal but will need to work on his final product in the coming weeks.
Lionel Messi - 8/10
Lionel Messi added to his extraordinary highlight reel yet again today with an incredible free-kick that left Athletic Bilbao stunned. The Argentine forward orchestrated several Barcelona attacks in the final third and was predictably flawless on the ball.
Antoine Griezmann - 7.5/10
Antoine Griezmann had an excellent game against Athletic Bilbao and was penetrative with his link-up play in the final third. The French striker made no mistake with his finish in the second half and was a crucial cog in Barcelona's impressive display.
Substitutes
Sergi Roberto - 6.5/10
Sergi Roberto made his return for Barcelona after a lengthy injury lay-off and played in the midfield in the second half. The Catalan star was reliable on the ball and is likely to remain an important part of Barcelona's growth this season.
Clement Lenglet - 6/10
Clement Lenglet was brought on to the pitch when Barcelona were looking to defend their lead and was reliable in his own half.
Martin Braithwaite - 6/10
Martin Braithwaite was a late substitute for Ousmane Dembele and did not have enough time to make an impact.
