delinton
01-06-2017, 02:50 AM
Match Links: Predict (https://www.soccerpunter.com/competition/Spain/Copa-del-Rey/bet_match_2386871_Athletic_Club_Bilbao_vs_FC_Barce lona_2017-01-05) H2H (https://www.soccerpunter.com/soccer-statistics/Spain/Copa-del-Rey-2016-2017/head_to_head_statistics/all/2019_Athletic_Club_Bilbao/2017_FC_Barcelona) Odds (https://www.soccerpunter.com/soccer-statistics/Spain/Copa-del-Rey-2016-2017/livesoccerodds?match_id=2386871&home=Athletic+Club+Bilbao&away=FC+Barcelona&date=2017-01-05+20%3A15%3A00)
Barcelona’s 4-0 loss at this ground in the
Spanish Super Cup last season is still a sore
point for some Barca fans, but their overall
recent record against Athletic is actually very
good and they’ll be confident that this will be
a very different night.
It hasn’t been a brilliant season for Luis
Enrique or his Barcelona side, with Real
Madrid currently in pole position in La Liga
but over the final few weeks of 2016 we saw
some real indications that Barca were starting
to rediscover their brilliant best form. Leo
Messi in particular put in some outstanding
displays to round off the year and the winter
break should enable the menacing ‘MSN’ to
come to Bilbao refreshed and ready to go.
Barcelona’s last 4 matches have seen them
score 18 goals and concede just once. Even
their fringe players looked in very good touch
in the last round against Hercules and Arda
Turan netted two hat-tricks in December,
which is a sign that Barcelona will still be very
strong, even if Luis Enrique opts to leave out
one of his front three.
Since losing to Barcelona in August, Athletic
have won 10 of their 11 home games in all
competitions so they have built up some
momentum at San Mames. However, few
sides they’ve faced have offered anywhere
near the sort of attacking threat that
Barcelona do. Athletic aren’t always that
convincing at the back and both teams have
scored in 6 of their last 8 games so not unlike
Barcelona, there are usually goals when they
play. Although they won’t be too gung-ho
here, they’ll also know if they want to
progress in this tie, most of the work will
surely need to be done on Thursday night in
Bilbao.
As a result Athletic will look to get forward
when they can and try to get main goal threat
Artitz Aduriz into some goal-scoring positions.
However, when Barcelona are close to their
best, which they have been in recent games,
there are few sides that can stop them and
with Athletic not totally convincing at the back,
taking a punt on Barcelona to win & Over 2.5
goals at 1.55 could be the best approach to
take here.
Barcelona’s 4-0 loss at this ground in the
Spanish Super Cup last season is still a sore
point for some Barca fans, but their overall
recent record against Athletic is actually very
good and they’ll be confident that this will be
a very different night.
It hasn’t been a brilliant season for Luis
Enrique or his Barcelona side, with Real
Madrid currently in pole position in La Liga
but over the final few weeks of 2016 we saw
some real indications that Barca were starting
to rediscover their brilliant best form. Leo
Messi in particular put in some outstanding
displays to round off the year and the winter
break should enable the menacing ‘MSN’ to
come to Bilbao refreshed and ready to go.
Barcelona’s last 4 matches have seen them
score 18 goals and concede just once. Even
their fringe players looked in very good touch
in the last round against Hercules and Arda
Turan netted two hat-tricks in December,
which is a sign that Barcelona will still be very
strong, even if Luis Enrique opts to leave out
one of his front three.
Since losing to Barcelona in August, Athletic
have won 10 of their 11 home games in all
competitions so they have built up some
momentum at San Mames. However, few
sides they’ve faced have offered anywhere
near the sort of attacking threat that
Barcelona do. Athletic aren’t always that
convincing at the back and both teams have
scored in 6 of their last 8 games so not unlike
Barcelona, there are usually goals when they
play. Although they won’t be too gung-ho
here, they’ll also know if they want to
progress in this tie, most of the work will
surely need to be done on Thursday night in
Bilbao.
As a result Athletic will look to get forward
when they can and try to get main goal threat
Artitz Aduriz into some goal-scoring positions.
However, when Barcelona are close to their
best, which they have been in recent games,
there are few sides that can stop them and
with Athletic not totally convincing at the back,
taking a punt on Barcelona to win & Over 2.5
goals at 1.55 could be the best approach to
take here.