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Barcelona rallied to secured a hard-fought 1-0 win against Athletic Bilbao at San Mames in La Liga on Sunday, March 12.
Barca entered this game on the back of a decent run of form, having won three of their last five games across competitions. Their last league outing was a bittersweet 1-0 win over Valencia as Ronald Araujo was sent off for a last-man foul. However, Barcelona took comfort in the fact that they were six points clear of second-placed Real Madrid prior to kick-off.
Xavi Hernandez was given a boost as star striker Robert Lewandowski was declared fit to play and slotted right into the starting XI.
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Athletic made a strong start to the game and created chances in the early exchanges. Despite having less of the ball, the hosts looked more dangerous on the rare occasions they found themselves in Barcelona's 18-yard box. Wingers Nico Williams and Alex Berenguer made a good start to the game, darting down the wings and looking to cut inside.
Raul Garcia had the best chance of the first half for Athletic as his header smashed against the crossbar and bounced out as Marc-Andre ter Stegen was left stranded. Lewandowski had Barcelona's best chance come his way but was unable to convert as he looked slightly rusty on his return from injury. The visitors grabbed the lead just before half-time though.
Sergio Busquets played a delightful pass into Raphinha's path, who converted to score in first-half stoppage time. There was a brief VAR check for offside but the goal stood as Barcelona led Athletic Bilbao 1-0 at the interval.
Barcelona made a positive start to the second half as they looked to keep possession of the ball to build momentum. They had the ball for 57% of the time and attempted three shots, failing to hit the target. Athletic, on the other hand, started slow but slowly grew into the game as they hunted for an equalizer. Both managers made a flurry of changes as they looked to freshen things up.
After attempting eight shots with four on target, Athletic Bilbao ran out of solutions to get back in the game. Inaki Williams seemed to have found the answer as he scored with a thumping strike following a quick counter-attack in the 89th minute. However, the goal was ruled out as Iker Muniain handled the ball in the build-up and the home crowd sunk to their seats.
Barcelona endured seven minutes of added time to secure a 1-0 win - their 11th of the season. On that note, let's take a look at their player ratings.
Barcelona Player Ratings
Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 8/10
Ter Stegen had a good game between the sticks for Barcelona and made one save in the first half, seeing an attempt by Raul Garcia smash the crossbar before bouncing out. He made two incredible saves in the second half to keep the hosts at bay.
Sergi Roberto - 6.5/10
Roberto had a good game on the right flank and distributed the ball well. He passed the ball with 86% accuracy, including one key pass, two crosses and one long ball. He also won three duels but was booked for a foul in the second half.
Jules Kounde - 7.5/10
Kounde passed the ball well and also made crucial clearances early in the game when Athletic were carrying momentum. He won five duels, making six clearances, one interception and one tackle. The Frenchman also played four long balls.
Andreas Christensen - 7/10
The Dane distributed the ball well and was also solid on defense. He won three duels, making six clearances and one interception. He also played five long balls.
Alejandro Balde - 7/10
Balde was active down the left flank and was also adept on defense. He won eight duels, played two key passes, two crosses and five long balls. Balde also completed all five of his dribble attempts.
Gavi - 6.5/10
Gavi was fearless in his challenges, even trying to head the ball clear whilst laying fully flat on the ground. He won 10 duels, making three tackles, two clearances and two blocks. Gavi also played one key pass.
Frenkie de Jong - 6.5/10
De Jong endured a mixed start to the game as he made several forward runs but was unable to provide an end product. He won three duels, played one key pass and four long balls.
Sergio Busquets - 7.5/10
Busquets was a dominant presence in Barcelona's midfield and did well to progress the ball forward. He provided an assist for the visitors' opener late in the first half. He won five duels, making two tackles and one clearance. Busquets also played five long balls.
Robert Lewandowski - 6/10
Lewandowski looked rusty on the ball as he missed one big chance to score in the first period. He attempted four shots but hit the target just once. The Pole won 10 duels and played one long ball.
Ferran Torres - 6.5/10
Ferran Torres got into some good positions but was ineffective in distributing the ball. He won two duels and attempted one shot which was off-target.
Raphinha - 7.5/10
Raphinha was active on the right flank and even dropped deep to receive the ball. He scored on the cusp of half-time to give Barca a narrow lead heading into the break. He won four duels, played one key pass and four long balls. The Brazilian also completed three dribbles.
Substitutes
Franck Kessie - 6.5/10
He replaced Torres in the second half and had a good game.
Marcos Alonso, Ansu Fati & Angel Alarcon - N/A
The trio came on late in the game and did not play enough minutes to warrant a rating.
