Barcelona return to their iconic Camp Nou for the first time in more than two years as they prepare to host Athletic Bilbao in a highly anticipated La Liga showdown on Saturday. With only 45,401 spectators allowed due to ongoing renovations, the Catalan giants hope that their homecoming will push them back to the top of the table—at least temporarily.

The match kicks off at 4:15pm local time (15:15 GMT), and fans can follow full live text commentary beginning at 12:15 GMT on Al Jazeera Sport.

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Barca’s Big Homecoming: First Competitive Match at Camp Nou in 2.5 Years

After playing most home games at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys due to the massive €1.5bn stadium refurbishment, Barcelona are finally returning to Camp Nou. Renovation delays pushed reopening back by a full year, but the team is eager to feel the boost of home support again.

The project will eventually expand stadium capacity to 105,000, making it one of the world’s largest football venues. UEFA has also approved Camp Nou for Barcelona’s upcoming Champions League fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt on December 9.

The club previously had to host early-season matches at their small 6,000-seat Johan Cruyff Stadium because of safety restrictions.

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Barcelona Chasing Real Madrid at the Top

A victory against Athletic Bilbao would allow Barcelona to temporarily rise above Real Madrid on goal difference, piling pressure on their rivals ahead of their Sunday match against Eibar.

Barcelona’s recent form has been mixed, especially defensively. The team has conceded 15 goals, more than most clubs below them in the standings, raising concerns as they enter a busy period without further international breaks.

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Flick Looks to Reset Barca’s Season

Head coach Hansi Flick believes the return to Camp Nou will create momentum for the squad:

“Playing at Camp Nou will definitely help us… it’s very important for the club’s future.”

Barcelona’s 4–2 win over Celta Vigo before the international break gave them confidence, with a calmer second-half performance that Flick sees as a template for upcoming matches.

But the defensive high line continues to draw criticism. Barcelona haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last nine matches, largely due to goalkeeper Joan Garcia’s absence through injury—though he is expected to return for this match.

Centre back Gerard Martin admitted the stress of recent matches keeps him awake at night:

“With the level of focus and stress involved, it takes hours before I can finally switch off.”

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Athletic Bilbao Hoping to Halt Inconsistent Run

Athletic Bilbao sit seventh in La Liga with 17 points, battling inconsistency after a mixed run of wins and losses. A 1–0 win over Real Oviedo last weekend snapped a three-game losing streak, but they know Barcelona present a much tougher challenge.

Full-back Inigo Lekue highlighted the difficulty of containing Barca’s teenage superstar:

“Lamine Yamal is one of those players who can make a difference, and we’ll try to stop him.”

However, Bilbao will be without their travelling supporters as the away section at Camp Nou remains unfinished.

Lekue urged calm amid the club’s shaky results:

“Bad runs are what people outside focus on, but we don’t dwell on them.”

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Head-to-Head: A Historic Rivalry

Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao have faced each other 244 times, with Barcelona holding the advantage:

• 124 wins for Barcelona
• 80 wins for Athletic
• 40 draws

Recent dominance is in Barca’s favor—they’ve won nine of their last 11 league meetings, including a 3–0 away victory in May 2025.

Athletic’s last La Liga win over Barcelona was back in August 2019, sealed by an unforgettable Aritz Aduriz overhead kick.

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Team News & Predicted Lineups

Barcelona Team News

Injuries & absences:

• ❌ Marc-André ter Stegen – injured
• ❌ Pedri – injured
• ❌ Frenkie de Jong – suspended
• ❌ Marc Casado (groin issue) – doubtful

Returns:

• ✔ Lamine Yamal – back in training post groin procedure
• ✔ Raphinha – available after hamstring injury
• ✔ Joan Garcia – likely to return in goal

Barcelona Predicted XI

Joan Garcia; Eric Garcia, Araujo, Cubarsi, Balde; Casado, Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez; Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford

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Athletic Bilbao Team News

Unavailable due to injury:

• ❌ Inaki Williams
• ❌ Unai Eguiluz
• ❌ Maroan Sannadi
• ❌ Benat Prados (ACL)

Suspended:

• ❌ Yeray Alvarez – serving 10-month ban

Returning:

• ✔ Oihan Sancet – back in training
• ✔ Nico Williams – scored on return vs Oviedo

Athletic Bilbao Predicted XI

Unai Simon; Berchiche, Laporte, Vivian, Gorosabel; Jauregizar, Galarreta; Nico Williams, Sanchez, Berenguer; Guruzeta

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Conclusion: What to Expect

With Barcelona eager to reclaim first place and Athletic Bilbao fighting to stabilize their season, the match promises intensity, tactical intrigue, and individual brilliance. The return to Camp Nou adds emotion and pressure for Barca, who hope that the iconic stadium will once again become a fortress.