Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the LaLiga match.
After Real Madrid's slip-up, Barcelona have cut the gap to three points and can move to within touching distance of Real Madrid. Athletic Bilbao, meanwhile, are in a crisis, with an overcrowded treatment room and the added workload of the Champions League.
Barcelona
Barcelona are unstoppable: 28 points after 12 rounds, second place in the standings and the most potent attack in the league with 32 goals scored. The only blemish in their last five matches is the defeat in El Clásico, but even there they looked solid. At home, the hosts have been perfect: five wins out of five in the LaLiga, including heavy victories over Valencia (6:0) and Getafe (3:0). Add the 6:1 win against Olympiacos Piraeus in the Champions League and you get a team who have been giving their opponents virtually no chance on their own pitch.
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao will travel to face Barcelona tired and battered. They sit seventh with 17 points, already eight points off the top four, and their injury list is packed. The parallel campaign in the Champions League has drained the team: away in the league they have lost three of their four matches, and in the Champions League they have suffered defeats to Borussia Dortmund (1:4) and Newcastle United (0:2). In recent matches the team have only beaten weaker opponents such as Real Oviedo and Qarabağ. It is hard for them to score (just 12 goals in 12 rounds), while they concede regularly, with only three clean sheets.
Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao Prediction
Barcelona are in excellent form and should win another league match, all the more so as they are returning to Camp Nou, which will be an extra incentive for a confident victory. We expect the hosts to win a high-scoring match.
