La Liga 2017/18; Athletic Bilbao 0-2 FC Barcelona: 5 Talking Points

#4 The Ernesto Valverde derby

Ernesto Valverde faced off against his former side for the first time

Valverde returned to the place which got him the coveted Barcelona job. The Spaniard has taken charge of 306 Athletic Bilbao games in his two spells as manager and returned to San Mames to a thunderous applause.

Valverde has settled well to life at Barcelona after the 2-0 win over his former side was his ninth league win of the season. The Catalans have now gone 17 league matches unbeaten, winning 16 along the way.

But it is at Athletic Bilbao, where the importance of Ernesto Valverde has increased manifolds since his departure. Bilbao have won just one of their last 11 matches; a return simply not good enough for a La Liga top dog.

Bilbao may fall off to 16th in the rankings this weekend if the other results do not go their way. The Valverde derby went in the way of the manager's new club with his former club looking down the barrel at the moment without their master tactician.