BARCELONA // By next Wednesday evening, Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao will have played each other seven times in as many months. They met in last season’s two-legged Copa del Rey final, the curtain-raising Spanish Super Cup and they have been drawn together in this season’s Copa del Rey quarter final, the first leg of which is this Wednesday. Respect between the clubs runs deep.
“They have a philosophy which is an example for the rest of the world,” Barcelona legend Xavi told this writer recently. “I have profound admiration for Athletic. It’s one of the teams I would have loved to have played for but they would never have me – I’m not Basque.”
Barcelona are bigger, richer and can recruit talent from all over the world, as opposed to just the Basque Country, but Bilbao's finest still put four past them in the August Super Cup on the way to their first trophy in 35 years. Even Luis Enrique conceded that his wily opposite number Ernesto Valverde had got one over him tactically, while his centre-half Gerard Pique was sent off and his goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was humiliated in the tie.
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That defeat rattled Barca. They also conceded four against Sevilla in the European Super Cup, but they quickly recovered when the league started and are challenging at the top. The Catalans won their opening game of La Liga, against Real Sociedad, 1-0, a tight affair in a stuffy San Mames, thanks to a Luis Suarez goal. The Uruguayan has become so important to Barcelona, and it was surprising when he was omitted from the final three of the shortlist for the 2015 Ballon d'Or. That was won last week by Lionel Messi for a record fifth time.
On Sunday night against Athletic in a chilly Camp Nou, both showed why they are vital to their team as Barca beat Athletic 6-0 in front of a crowd of 68,019.
Five minutes before kick off, a giant flag was unfurled from the third tier. “Congratulations!” it said, with a huge image of Messi and his five Ballon d’Or trophies.
On the pitch, Messi held aloft another golden ball to applause from both teams and cries of “Messi” from the crowd. Three minutes into the match, he scored the first of Barca’s six goals, a penalty after the Basque goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz was sent off for bringing down Suarez in the area. His replacement Iago Herrerin dived the right way, but there was no stopping Messi’s effort, hard and low into the corner.
Playing Barcelona away from home with eleven men is formidable. Playing 87 minutes with 10 is impossible. Valverde’s side were taken apart as Barca went 22 matches unbeaten. Athletic were missing their top scorer Aritz Aduriz, but they still have hugely gifted players in Aymeric Laporte, Inaki Williams, Iker Munian and Benat Etxebarria. They were simply blown away by the quality in front of them.
Barcelona’s brilliant front three of Messi, Suarez and Neymar have scored 44 league goals so far this season, one less than Real Madrid’s venerated triumvirate of Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. In all competitions this term, Barca’s front three are ahead, 66 to 60.
All three were on the scoresheet against Athletic. Suarez bagged a hat-trick, Messi and Neymar one each, with Ivan Rakitic also netting after some touchline magic by Neymar to set him up. With games coming thick and fast, Messi was substituted at half time when his side led 2-0.
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All three are in the chase for the Pichichi, the award for La Liga’s top scorer, with Suarez leading with 18. He deserves an individual accolade. Barcelona and Madrid players occupy the top five places, with Messi sure to climb into the rankings now he is back and scoring after nine weeks out injured in the autumn.
Barca fans are spoiled.
With five minutes left on Sunday night, many had left for home, leaving more empty seats than occupied ones in Europe’s biggest stadium. Other supporters would be baffled why they would walk out, but brilliance has become the norm for Barca fans. They get it every week and they will be expecting it again when their side meets Athletic again on Wednesday.
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