Barcelona 4-0 Athletic Club summary: score, goals, highlights, LaLiga 21/22

Barcelona players celebrate Luuk de Jong's goal (Photo: REUTERS/Albert Gea)

Tough night for Athletic

Dembélé inspires Barcelona win over Athletic

Barcelona led 1-0 at half-time thanks to Aubameyang's goal before the break. They were the superior side in the opening 45' and went into the break confident of adding to their solitary strike.

In the second half, Xavi sent on Dembélé, who was whistled by the Camp Nou faithful as he made his way onto the pitch.

Just five minutes after coming on, Dembélé received a ball from Frenkie de Jong, beat Lekue and fired past Unai Simón in the Athletic goal.

The French forward then switched wings and created two more from the right, one with his left foot and one with his right. Luuk de Jong and Memphis Depay were happy to finish off the inch-perfect inswingers and Barcelona ran out convincing 4-0 winners in front of almost 70,000 people at Camp Nou.

FT: Barcelona 4-0 Athletic

Memphis Depay scores from close range. It's Dembélé again with the cross, cutting Athletic apart. 

There will be three additional minutes.

We're into the second minute of added-on time.

Barcelona score their third. Pedri is sensational in the build-up. He sprays it out to Dembélé on the right, who then crosses for De Jong to head home. 3-0 

And that is that!

Barcelona change:

OFF Aubameyang & Busquets

ON Luuk de Jong & Nico

Ter Stegen saves from Iñaki Williams. The striker turns well on the edge of the box. Ter Stegen gets down to catch it. 2-0

What a bunch of talented players Barcelona have at their disposal and the scary thing is that they are only going to keep improving. 

Barcelona change:

OFF Adama

ON Menphis

The Camp Nou fans are now singing Xavi's name. He did bring on both Dembélé and De Jong together and within a matter a minutes they combined to make it 2-0.

OFF Villalibre

ON Iñaki Williams

Frenkie de Jong with an assist for Dembélé after just coming on as a sub. To be able to bring on Frenkie de Jong is an absolute luxury.

It's a superb strike by the French winger. He gains a yard of space for himself after a lovely curling pass from De Jong, before burying it into the roof of the net with his left foot from a tight angle. 

Not bad for a Sunday night.

Piqué pulls Sancet back as he races through and it's the most obvious yellow card you'll see all weekend. 

And there's a mix of whistles and applause from the Camp Nou faithful for Dembélé.

Athletic changes:

OFF Vesga & Zarraga

ON Williams & Dani García

Athletic changes:

OFF Vesga & Zarraga

ON Williams & Garcia

Barcelona changes:

OFF Gavi & Ferran

ON Frenkie de Jong & Dembélé

Nico Williams and Dani Garcia will come in for the away side.

Ferran shoots again from the edge of the box, but Unai Simón stops his Spain team-mate and keeps the score at 1-0.

Ferran Torres hits it straight into the wall.

Unai Simón lines up his wall. Where is Messi?

Gavi is fouled on the edge of the box. Inigo Martinez takes him down. Dani Alves is over it. 

Piqué is caught by Sancet's studs. It's totally accidental, but the veteran defender is holding his face. As Sancet goes sliding in the opposite direction his studs somehow catch Piqué as he goes sliding.

Athletic clear the corner.

Ferran Torres shoots. It's deflected over the bar. Barca have a corner on the left. Alves comes across to take it. 

The Williams brothers should be making an appearance soon for Athletic.

Busquets picks up a yellow card for a foul on Vencedor. 

Athletic get us underway for the second half!

Athletic have made a changes at the break:

OFF Yeray & Raúl García

ON Inigo Martínez & Oihan Sancet

The players are coming back out onto the pitch for the second half.

HT: Barcelona 1-0 Athletic

Barcelona go in 1-0 up at the break. It's a deserved lead for Xavi's men. 

Raúl García fouls Pedri. Free-kick for the home side.

There will be three additional minutes. 

Pedri has kept his team ticking all game. Marcelino is having a go at the fourth official as Yeray gets some treatment on the sideline.

Yeray is down after clashing in the air with Adama.

That's the former Arsenal captain's fifth goal since joining the club. He's flying! Marcelino is furious as his side were defending quite well. 

Aubameyang puts Barcelona ahead. He scores for the third game on the bounce. Piqué's header cracks the bar and Aubameyang is there to volley the rebound home. It's a deserved lead for the Blaugrana.

Vencedor fouls Adama. Barca take the free quickly. Athletic can't handle Adama at the minute. 0-0

Great run by Adama, who finds Aubameyang, who in turn finds Ferran, but his shot is stopped by Unai Simón in the Athletic goal.

Barcelona really do look like a new team under Xavi. Everyone knows their role. There's a system again. The coach believes in it and so do the players. Adama is thriving on the right and has the same number of assists (4) as he had in his last 71 games with Wolves in the Premier League. 

How about this...

Villalibre shoots straight at Ter Stegen from a tight angle. Villalibre picked up the ball after Raúl García won a header against Alves. Raúl García is down now after clashing with the Brazilian right-back. 

Barcelona have seen over 2.5 goals in 5 of their last 6 matches against Athletic in all competitions. It's still early doors here and remains 0-0 if you're just joining. 

Pedri has been excellent so far. He usually is! 

He plays Ferran in but the Spain international finds himself in an offside position. 

Ferran Torres shoots from distance but it's high and wide and it remains scoreless at Camp Nou. 

Xavi's message is clear: 4-3-3 formation, keep the ball, press high, be direct and score goals.

Athletic go straight up the other end but Zarraga's shot is weak and straight at Ter Stegen. 

Huge chance for Gavi!

Ferran picks out Gavi. The 17-year-old is all alone, 12 yards but blazes over. 

Oier Zarraga clears a header off the line. Piqué heads a super Alves corner goalbound. It's creeping into the far corner but Zarraga heads away. 

Pedri looks to create some magic on the edge of the box but chips a pass into Unai Simon's hands. 

Barcelona are undefeated in their last 9 matches in LaLiga.

Araújo fouls Villalibre and Athletic have a free near the halfway line. Slight obstruction from the young Uruguayan defender on the trumpet player. 

It's been all Barca in the opening 10 minutes. 

Another important message from the two clubs

Adama does really well down the right. His cross is deflected out for a corner. It's taken short and recycled right back into midfield. Athletic move up the pitch. 0-0

Xavi is a big fan of Ferran Torres, starting most games since joining from Man City. 

Alves crosses to Ferran at the back post. He directs his header across goal to Aubameyang. The former Arsenal player can't get up to head it. 

Marcelino has set his side up in their usual 4-4-2. They are full of confidence after beating rivals Real Sociedad 4-0 last week.

There is a buzz about Camp Nou. With a club legend in charge and results improving, you can see why.  

It's an early corner for Barca. They've started as they left off in Naples. Athletic clear once again. Vivian is a big presence in their back line. He's just 22 but has been really impressive this season. 

Barcelona are playing from left to right. Dest gets down the left, crosses to the front post, but it's cleared. 

And we're underway at Camp Nou!

This is definitely one of the bigger fixtures in LaLiga. Here's hoping we have another cracker on the cards.

Here come the players!

Fans show support for Ukraine

Fans show their support for Ukraine as they display signs prior to the LaLiga match between Barcelona and Athletic at Camp Nou. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Kick off at Camp Nou is just minutes away!

More goals today?

Barcelona have scored at least two goals in 19 of their last 23 home matches against Athletic in all competitions.

They have also scored 8 in their last two games. 

AS prediction: Barcelona 2-1 Athletic

Today's venue

Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium ahead of the game.

(Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The players are out on the pitch warming up ahead of the big one at Camp Nou. 

A win for Barcelona would see them move onto 45 points along with Atlético Madrid. 

Athletic currently find themselves in 8th. A win here will move the Basque side to within a point of their rivals Real Sociedad, who have just beaten Osasuna 1-0. 

Athletic Club XI at Camp Nou

Barcelona starting XI

Barcelona's strong record vs Athletic

Barcelona will be looking to defend a proud record against Athletic in their upcoming clash.

They have gone 19 consecutive home games without a defeat against them in LaLiga, winning 16 and drawing three matches since a 1-2 loss in November 2001.

Xavi's praise for new Barcelona signings

Barcelona boss Xavi has been impressed by his side's January signings.

Barca's performances have been buoyed by the arrivals of Ferran Torres, Adama Traore and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with the latter of the trio becoming just the fourth player to score in the Spanish, English, German, and French top flights this century when he netted a hat-trick in a 4-1 thrashing of Valencia last week.

Each of the trio then registered goal contributions in Barca's thrilling 4-2 win in Naples on Thursday, and Xavi was keen to highlight the impact that his new forwards have had on his side.

"Without them, it would be more difficult, of course," Xavi said ahead of the clash with Athletic Bilbao.

"Aubameyang doesn't surprise me, he has quality and works for the team. 

"Adama has surprised me in his decision-making, he has matured, and Ferran seems to me to be a footballer of another level, [he is] spectacular. 

"How he understands the spaces, [how] he doesn't lose balls, he is of a world class level. He was a spectacular signing and [is] a wonderful footballer".

Athletic come to Camp Nou confident

Athletic will provide a timely litmus test of Barcelona’s current form when the Lions arrive at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Marcelino’s side battered Basque rivals Real Sociedad 4-0 last weekend and have won four of their last six in LaLiga, moving to within two points of Villarreal in sixth.

The Athletic boss does however have a juggling act to perform with his side facing Valencia in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Wednesday. Marcelino was less than happy with the scheduling of Sunday’s clash and may pick a side for Camp Nou with his eye on a place in the Copa final.

The reverse fixture in San Mamés ended 1-1 earlier in the season and the sides met again in the last 16 of the Copa, with Marcelino getting the better of Xavi in a 3-2 win after extra time.

Aubameyang inspires Barça

The signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is looking like a fine bit of business for Barça.

The Gabonese forward netted a hat-trick against Valencia last weekend and added another in Naples as Barcelona ran-out 4-2 winners over Napoli in arguably their best performance since Xavi took the job.

Aubameyang has four goals in five appearances for the Blaugrana.

Athletic name their XI

Barcelona XI vs Athletic

Xavi has called Gavi back into the starting XI after starting on the bench against Napoli.

Dani Alves also comes in. Aubameyang and Adama Traoré keep their places in the team.

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