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Barcelona face Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday with the chance to maneuver into third place within the La Liga desk.
In the meantime, Athletic head into the competition on the San Mames Stadium with a brand new supervisor having changed Gaizka Garitano with Marcelino García Toral.
Sitting 10 factors again of Atletico Madrid having performed a recreation greater than the leaders, Ronald Koeman will need to make sure that his group strikes into the third spot.Nonetheless, placing collectively a six-match unbeaten streak has given the Dutchman causes to be optimistic for the second half of the season.
Wednesday’s match will air on beIN sports EN + ES. You may watch the video games at no cost on-line for those who join a free trial with fuboTV, which runs for seven days.
Barcelona vs. Athletic Bilbao (La Liga 2021)
Begin time: 3:00 p.m. EST
TV channel: beIN Sports activities EN + ES (Channel finder: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast, Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, Hulu, fuboTV, Sling.)
Stay stream: beIN Sports | Sling | fuboTV (free trial) – If in case you have cable subscription, you should utilize the login credentials out of your TV supplier to look at on-line by way of beIN Sports. Should you don’t have cable, you possibly can watch by way of Sling with their World Sports activities add-on package deal — or by way of fuboTV, which incorporates beIN sports activities with their base package deal (and free trial).
Extra protection by way of the Related Press
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lionel Messi arrange Frenkie de Jong for a purpose to assist earn a 1-0 win at Huesca on Sunday within the Argentine nice’s 750th general look for Barcelona and his five hundredth within the Spanish league.
The 33-year-old Messi trails solely Xavi Hernández because the Barcelona participant with probably the most video games performed. Xavi performed 767 video games in all competitions, together with 505 la Liga matches.
Messi’s newest milestone got here lower than two weeks after he surpassed Pelé’s all-time membership scoring report for Santos by netting his 644th purpose for Barcelona.
Barcelona dominated last-place Huesca however might solely handle De Jong’s purpose within the twenty seventh minute. Messi lobbed a move ahead to satisfy De Jong’s run behind the protection, with the Netherlands midfielder steering the ball contained in the upright.
Coach Ronald Koeman mentioned the purpose was an instance of how he desires his midfielders to hitch the assault, particularly when Messi drifts out of the realm to grow to be a playmaker.
“It was an incredible move from Messi and purpose,” Koeman mentioned. “And that’s what I like from my midfielders. The areas left by Messi or Pedri — we’ve to occupy these positions.”
Huesca goalkeeper Álvaro Fernández saved Messi’s two probabilities, stopping him from including to his league report of 451 targets. He blocked a free kick simply earlier than halftime and smothered shot from shut vary within the 68th.
Each Ousmane Dembele and Pedro “Pedri” González went near scoring and arrange teammates for good probabilities in a robust first half by Barcelona. Antoine Griezmann solely went on as a late substitute.
Barcelona’s win got here after Messi sat out a 1-1 draw with Eibar final spherical to recuperate from an ankle downside.
The victory moved Barcelona forward of Sevilla into fifth place.
Koeman’s workforce is 10 factors behind chief Atlético Madrid, which bought a late purpose from Luis Suárez to win 2-1 at Alavés.
SUÁREZ CLUTCH
Atlético was moments from enduring a setback in opposition to an Alavés that performed with 10 males for nearly half an hour.
That was when Suárez got here by means of with the Ninetieth-minute winner. The previous Barcelona striker scored from shut vary finishing a cross by João Félix shortly after Atlético had conceded an equalizer.
Suárez additionally helped Atlético take the lead with a Forty first-minute help to Marcos Llorente, who cleared three defenders outdoors the realm earlier than firing a low shot that deflected off a defender earlier than discovering the online.
Alavés misplaced defender Victor Laguardia with a straight pink card decided by video evaluation for a tough foul on Thomas Lemar. The hosts equalized within the 84th when Atlético defender Felipe discovered his personal internet whereas attempting to clear a cross inside the realm.
The win gave Atlético a two-point lead over second-place Actual Madrid, which defeated Celta Vigo 2-0 at dwelling on Saturday. Atlético has two video games in hand on its metropolis rival.
“We had the sport in hand, we didn’t put it away, then got here their purpose,” Atlético coach Diego Simeone mentioned. “The very best half about at present’s recreation was how the workforce dealt with the ultimate minutes with out getting nervous. The purpose was one, with our No. 9 simply the place he must be.”
Simeone’s workforce has gained 11 of its previous 12 league matches, with the one setback a 2-0 loss at Madrid 4 rounds in the past.
Alavés, which stayed in eleventh place, has one win in its its previous six matches.
BILBAO FIRES COACH
Athletic Bilbao fired coach Gaizka Garitano after it defeated struggling Elche 1-0 at dwelling due to a purpose by Iker Muniain.
The membership then introduced it had reached an settlement in precept to rent Marcelino García Toral as Garitano’s alternative.
GIL BREAKOUT
Teenager Byran Gil scored his first two targets for Eibar to steer its 2-0 victory over Granada.
The 19-year-old Spaniard has impressed along with his dribbling, imaginative and prescient and passing abilities since his mortgage transfer from Sevilla this season.
Gil bought his first purpose within the fifty fifth when he rushed into the realm to complete off a penalty kick that had been saved by Granada goalkeeper Rui Silva. He added a second purpose with a exact strike from outdoors the realm within the 76th.
SOCIEDAD SLIP
Third-place Actual Sociedad was held 1-1 at dwelling by Osasuna, leaving it eight factors behind Atlético.
Sociedad, which led the league earlier this season, has only one win in eight rounds.
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