FC Barcelona vs Athletic: Confirmed lineups for the matchday 2 of LaLiga 24-25

FC Barcelona receives Athletic Club this Saturday in what will be the first great game of the season in Montjuïc. The Blaugrana will play in front of their fans again, after doing so two weeks ago with a defeat at the Gamper, against a top rival in a clash with a flavor of 'revenge' on the part of both teams. The 'Nico Williams soap opera' has left both the culés and the people of Bilbao upset and without a doubt sparks will fly in this match.

After beating Valencia on the first day, the Barcelona fans hope to maintain their invincibility and go 6 out of 6 in LaLiga. It will not be easy, since despite having tied a week ago in their league debut, the Basques are a tough team, who know well what they are playing and who have high-level footballers, like Nico himself. Precisely seeing the Navarrese against what could have been his team and what could have been his fans is one of the great attractions of the clash.

In Barça key, Flick will not be able to count on Dani Olmo for the second consecutive week, who has not been able to be registered despite being included in the call in case the club managed to do so. The Egarense, therefore, joins Andreas Christensen, who will not play either, in his case due to an untimely injury that will keep him off the playing fields until October. But it hasn't all been bad news for the German coach, who will at least be able to count on a high-quality signing like Fermín López, who, although he will be a substitute, will have minutes in the second half. This is the Blaugrana's XI against Athletic, with only one important novelty compared to the one at Mestalla.

Confirmed lineups for FC Barcelona-Athletic

• FC Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Cubarsí, Iñigo, Balde; Bernal, Pedri, Raphinha; Ferran, Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal.
• FC Barcelona bench: Peña, Christensen, Casadó, Pablo Torre, Pau Víctor, Eric García, Atralaga, Álex Valle, Héctor Fort, Gerard Martín and Sergi Domínguez.
• Athletic XI: Padilla, Gorosabel, Yeray, Vivian, Yuri; Prados, Vesga, Sancet; Nico Williams, Iñaki Williams and Guruzeta.

Pedri's return to the XI is Hansi's only change for this match with respect to the lineup he put out on the first day against Valencia. The Canarian, who shone at Mestalla coming off the bench, is now good enough to start at the start to command Barcelona's midfield. Due to his entry, Marc Casadó has dropped out of the team, Bernal remaining and Raphinha once again being the interior/playmaker who completes the midfield.