Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info

By Jason Pettigrove, Featured Columnist 

Jan 20, 2016

Athletic Bilbao play host to Barcelona at the New San Mamesjust three days after being on the receiving end of a 6-0 humbling.

Although the makeup of both teams will be changed slightly for this Copa del Rey tie, the mental edge is clearly with the visitors.

Ernesto Valverde has work to do if he is to inspire his troops to another win against the Blaugrana, one akin to the sensational performance at the start of the campaign which saw Athletic beat Barca to win the Spanish Super Cup—their first trophy in over 30 years.

His case will be strengthened in the knowledge that Luis Suarez is unavailable and that Lionel Messi will be rested for this first leg, perJavier Miguel of Sport.

Miguel wrote:

They (the club) don’t want to take risks with the Argentine, which was behind the reason to take him off at half time on Sunday, with ArdaTuran coming on in his place.

No risks will be taken on Wednesday, then, with Messi resting as a form of precaution. 

If that wasn't good enough news for Bilbao, who can count upon the return of talisman Aritz Arduriz up front, Barca also have big problems in defence.

Miguel also notes in Sport that both Jordi Alba and Jeremy Mathieu are missing from the lineup meaning that Luis Enrique has only an unfit and out-of-form Adriano Correia to call upon as a natural left-back.

And Lucho knows it will be an entirely different game this time, telling reporters in his pre-match briefing per FCBarcelona.com:

We're used to playing in hostile environments. The game tomorrow is going to be very different than the one Sunday at Camp Nou.

No two games are the same.

[...] They (Athletic) can use the last game as an incentive. Aduriz is going to be fresh as are their other players who did not participate on Sunday.

[...] The more heated the atmosphere in San Mames, the more we need to turn it around for us.

The hosts are sure to be more competitive in this match, after the third-minute sending-off of goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz in the La Liga fixture determined their fate at the weekend.

An understrength Barca will need to be at their very best to retain the advantage going into next week's second leg.

Source: bleacherreport