Barcelona vs Athletic 2nd round La Liga match prediction

TABLE WITH ODDS OF POPULAR BOOKMAKERS

Bookmakers	1	X	2	Under 2.5	Over 2.5
	1.695	4.26	5.24	2.184	1.794	Bonus	400$
	1.632	4.1	5.05	2.105	1.73	Bonus	300€
	1.67	4	4.9	2.09	1.72	Bonus	+500%
	1.695	4.26	5.24	2.184	1.794	Bonus	+100%
	1.632	4.1	5.05	2.105	1.73	Bonus	90€
	1.63	4.1	5.1	2.1	1.72	Bonus	300$

The second round of the new La Liga season will present the fans with the confrontation between Barcelona and Atletico. The Catalan superclub, led by Hansi Flick, will try to start the championship race with a victory. But the Basque “lions” will not be easy prey even at Camp Nou.

Odds for Barcelona vs Athletic

Barcelona are the favourites for this encounter. The odds for Barcelona to win range from 1.632 to 1.695 (the probability of success is around 59-61%).

The odds for Atletico to win are much higher and range from 4.9 to 5.24. The odds for them to win are only around 19-20%. Atletico’s odds of winning are extremely low compared to Barcelona’s odds.

The odds for a draw are 4 to 4.26 (the probability of a draw is around 23-25%). Experts consider a draw a more likely outcome than a win for Atletico, but still less likely than a win for Barcelona.

Regarding the total number of goals, bookmakers suggest that more than 2.5 goals are likely to be scored in this match. The odds for “Total more than 2.5 goals” are from 1.72 to 1.794, while the odds for “Total less than 2.5 goals” are from 2.105 to 2.184. It is expected to be an efficient match.

Barcelona vs Athletic match prediction

Barcelona is the favourite in this confrontation. Despite not being the most successful last season, the Catalans still have a stronger squad and home-field advantage.

Athletic are considered outsiders – their chances of winning are estimated at only 19-20%. Although the Basques won the King’s Cup and finished fifth last season, they traditionally have difficulties in head-to-head meetings with Barcelona.

In the last 5 face-to-face meetings in La Liga, Barcelona have won 4 victories without conceding a single goal. However, in cup matches, Athletico twice knocked out the Catalans in extra time. On average, Barcelona scores more goals per game against Athletic (1.85 vs. 1.40).

Match prediction: Barcelona win at 1.695. The Catalans have a stronger squad, they play at home and will be maximally motivated to start the season with a win.

TB 2.5 for 1.73 is also a good bet. There have been a lot of goals in recent matches between these teams, and in general, Barcelona is always expected to play effective football.

Recent official meetings

Barcelona

The 2023/24 season did not go well for Barcelona. The Catalans were content with only silver medals in La Liga, missing out on their eternal rival Real Madrid. In the Champions League, Barca failed again, falling to PSG in the quarter-final stage.

At the end of the national championship, Xavi’s wards performed unsteadily. In the last 9 rounds, they won 6 victories and lost 2. Misfires were coming in the matches with Girona (2:4) and Real Madrid (2:3). As a result, Barcelona finished in 2nd place, 10 points behind the Pitmen.

In the Champions League, Barcelona reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to PSG. In the first match at the Parc des Princes, the Catalans won 2:3. The return game at “Camp Nou” ended with a victory for the guests – 1:4. On the sum of the two meetings further passed PSG (6:4).

It is worth noting that at the previous stage, Barca knocked out Italian Napoli from the draw. A 1-1 away draw and a 3-1 home win allowed the Catalans to reach the quarter-finals. However, Barcelona stumbled again there, failing to compete with the French grande dame.

They kicked off the new La Liga season with a home game against Valencia on 18 August. Game result: 

Athletic

The 2023/24 season turned out to be very successful for Atletico. The Basque club won the King’s Cup and finished in 5th position in the Spanish league. “The Lions once again proved that they are a tough nut to crack for any opponent.

At the end of La Liga, Ernesto Valverde’s wards performed quite consistently. In the final 8 rounds, the Red and Whites won 3 victories, suffered 2 defeats and drew three times. The key was victories over Rayo Vallecano (1:0), Sevilla (2:0), and Getafe (2:0). Draws happened in matches against Osasuna (2:2), Granada (1:1) and Villarreal (1:1). These points allowed Atletico to take the final 5th place.

The main success of the season for the Basques was undoubtedly winning the King’s Cup. In a dramatic final against Mallorca, the main time ended 1-1. The fate of the trophy was decided by a penalty shoot-out, where the Lions were more accurate – 2-1.

History of head-to-head confrontations

In the last 10 head-to-head meetings between Barcelona and Athletic, the advantage is on the side of the Catalan club. In 6 matches Barcelona won, while Athletic managed to win only twice, both times in extra time in the Spanish Cup. Two games ended in a draw in regulation time.

If we consider the efficiency, in these 10 matches Barcelona scored 21 goals, and Athletic – 9. Moreover, in the last 5 games of the championship “Barcelona” did not concede a single goal, having won 4 “dry” victories.

The historic rivalry between these two clubs has 242 matches in all tournaments. “Barcelona” has a tangible advantage with 121 wins against 81 for Atletico, with another 40 games ending in a draw. The Catalans have scored 447 goals, while the Basques have honoured themselves 340 times.

On average, Barcelona scored 1.85 goals per match, while Athletic scored 1.40. This shows that historically the matches between these teams have been hard fought, but Barcelona is more likely to succeed due to their higher scoring output.

In recent years, Barcelona have dominated head-to-head meetings with Atletico in the Spanish league, but the Basques have managed to impose a struggle in cup clashes. Nevertheless, the overall statistics show Barcelona’s advantage in this historic football duel.

Predictions for La Liga matches

All predictions for Italian league matches can be found in the section «La Liga Predictions».