Barcelona 3-0 Athletic - As it happened
FULL-TIME: Barcelona 3-0 Athletic
Barcelona get a routine win despite a lacklustre first half display and improve to 42 points, tied with Sevilla for second place and four points behind leaders Real Madrid. Athletic missed three great chances in the first half but could not finish so they stay at 32 points, they are tied with Espanyol in seventh place.
It's all over! Barça take it with goals from Alcácer, Messi & Vidal #FCBLive #FCBAthletic pic.twitter.com/4N1l81hHuh
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 4, 2017
Barcelona miss a double chance
First Vidal fires but his shots is saved by the Athletic goalkeeper, Rakitic gets the rebound but his effort goes over the bar
Neymar magic comes to nothing
Neymar showcases his skills andn dribbles past at least four Athletic defenders but his effort from a wide angle is deflected
Athletic miss a chance
The newly-introduced Eraso does well to reach first a clever pass behind Barcelona's defence but his effort goes wide off Stegen's far post
79' The shot from Eraso went wide 3-0 #FCBAthletic #athlive
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) February 4, 2017
Athletic make a change
Eraso replaces Raul Garcia
GOAL: Barcelona - Athletic 3-0 (Vidal, 67 mins)
Aleix Vidal chases down a long ball, even beating Neymar to it, runs into the box and aims for the far post in a smooth execution
67: GOOOOOOOOOOAAALLL!!!! ALEIX VIDAL!!!!!
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 4, 2017
FCB 3-0 ATH #FCBLive #FCBAthletic pic.twitter.com/27nNzqIWzd
Surprising substitution for Barcelona
Sergi Roberto comes on for Messi, who is very rarely (if ever) replaced when there is half an hour remaining in the game
Messi almost gets his second
Messi is the beneficiary of a ball deflected by the Athletic defence but he has to fire from a wide angle and it hits the side of the net
Another chance for Barcelona
Neymar turns and shoots, his effort goes just wide and over the bar
56' UFF! The shot from Neymar went wide close to the post 2-0 #FCBAthletic #athlive
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) February 4, 2017
Substitution for Barcelona
The unlucky Rafinha is replaced by Rakitic
53: Rafinha's bleeding heavily after getting caught by Ter Stegen's boot. He's off. Rakitic is on
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 4, 2017
FCB 2-0 ATH #FCBLive #FCBAthletic
Athletic make a change
Aduriz comes on for Lekue
Rafinha injury
Rafinha picked up a really nasty knock as his own goal keeper came out to clear a ball and hit him in the face
Barcelona miss a chance
Barcelona win a corner, Neymar whips it in and Rafinha heads it at the far post but his header goes just centimetres wide
Second half under way
Barcelona have made a change at half-time, Mascherano comes on for Pique who picked up an injury in the first half
HALF-TIME: Barcelona 2-0 Athletic
Barcelona were brutally effective and one great action from each of Neymar (who gave the assist to Alcacer) and Messi has given them the lead although they have less shots on goal (5) than Athletic (7)
Time for a break at the Camp Nou and it's happy days as Barça lead by two:
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 4, 2017
FCB 2 (Alcácer, Messi) ATH 0 #FCBLive #FCBAthletic pic.twitter.com/ldteiREtAJ
Neymar misses a chance
Another beautiful drive by Neymar from the left, he slides past two defenders but his effort goes just wide off the far post.
42' Great piece of skill by Neymar but shot went wide 2-0 #FCBAthetic #athlive
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) February 4, 2017
GOAL: Barcelona 2-0 Athletic (Messi, 40 mins)
One of those goals that only a handful of players can score... Messi takes a free-kick from a wide angle, like a short corner, but curls it in with so much force that it slips off the Athletic goalkeeper's hands and into the back of the net.
Barcelona penalty claim rejected
Messi drills the Athletic defence, heplays the one-two with Alcacer who lifts the ball and it bounces off Williams' hand, however the referee waves to play on. It looked involuntary as the Athletic player even tried to pull his hand away from the ball's trajectory
Another chance for Athletic
Once again Raul Garcia receives, turns and fires but Ter Stegen is well-positioned and saves
27: Period of pressure from Athletic but all they have to show for it is a yellow card for Iturraspe FCB 1-0 ATH #FCBLive #FCBAthletic
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) 4 February 2017
Iturraspe gets booked
For a late challenge on Alcacer
Dangerous foul to Athletic
Pique brings Raul Garcia down right on the edge of the box, he gets a booked and Athletic earn a great free-kick. Iturraspe however curls it over the bar
GOAL: Barcelona 1-0 Athletic (Alcacer, 18 mins)
Neymar drives from the left, slides past one defender on the byline and cuts back to Alcacer who taps it in
17: What a run down the left by Neymar Jr and there's Paco Alcácer to bang in his first goal for Barça! FCB 1-0 ATH #FCBLive #FCBAthletic
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) 4 February 2017
Another huge chance for Athletic
Inaki Williams is all unmarked in front of goal and does well to head a cross from the left, but his header goes just wide
11' CLOSEE!! Great cross from @Laporte but @Williaaams45 's header went wide 0-0 #FCBAthetic #athlive
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) February 4, 2017
Stegen saves Barcelona
Athletic's Raul Garcia turns and fires from the heart of the Barcelona area but Ter Stegen dives and fingertips the ball just enough for it to hit the post rather than go in.
3: Neymar has an early chance for Barça but then Raul García hits the post at the other end! FCB 0-0 ATH #FCBLive #FCBAthletic
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) 4 February 2017
Barcelona miss first chance
Alcacer made a run from the right and rolled it over to Neymar in the middle but the Brazilian took just a little longer to control and the Athletic defence cleared
Kick-off!
Athletic get us under way
And #FCBAthletic gets started here at Camp Nou! Let's go Barça! FCB 0-0 ATH #FCBLive pic.twitter.com/2cVgcHBrbY
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) 4 February 2017
The teams are coming out of the tunnel
Three minutes to kick-off
Follow live updates as Barcelona play host to Athletic Bilbao in Spanish La Liga action.
There is a huge surprise on the side of the hosts as Luis Suarez is not starting the game.
These are the confirmed line-ups of the two teams:
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Aleix Vidal, Piqué, Umtiti, Mathieu; André Gomes, Rafinha, Arda; Messi, Neymar, Alcácer.
Subs: Cillessen, Mascherano, Alba, Sergi Roberto, Denis, Rakitic, Suárez.
Athletic XI: Iraizoz, De Marcos, Yeray, Laporte, Balenciaga; San José, Iturraspe; Raúl García, Muniain, Lekue, Williams.
Subs: Bóveda, Eraso, Beñat, Susaeta, Aduriz, Saborit, Remiro.