Barcelona welcome Athletic Bilbao to the Camp Nou tonight for a crucial La Liga clash with a cloud above their heads.
El Mundo’s leaking of Lionel Messi‘s contract has dominated Barcelona news today and will continue for some time given reports of how incensed the Argentine is.
Ya tenemos el XI para el #BarçaAthletic 💪🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/Ph0UaYyORb
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) January 31, 2021
Messi is said to be preparing legal action against the newspaper as are Barcelona, but that saga, no matter how big a story, shouldn’t overshadow a key fixture.
ALINEACIÓN I Este es el 1️⃣1️⃣ de los leones para enfrentarse al @FCBarcelona_es en el Camp Nou 👇#BarçaAthletic #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/xJnYKrak52
— Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) January 31, 2021
Real Madrid lost to Levante yesterday while Atletico Madrid won today, sending them 13 points clear of Barcelona at the time of writing. If Barcelona can win tonight, however, they cut that distance to ten and go second, leapfrogging Madrid and Sevilla.
There’s also the added motive of revenge. Marcelino has revitalised Athletic ever since he walked in the door, with Los Leones looking a different animal altogether. The Basques beat Barcelona in the final of the Supercopa de Espana and will be looking to repeat the trick tonight in Catalonia this evening.
