In a stunning night of football, Athletic Bilbao beat defending champions Barcelona on the opening day of La Liga.
The victory came courtesy of an 89th-minute wondergoal after something of a stalemate. What did we learn?
1. Messidependencia
Watching Barcelona without Leo Messi and Sergio Busquets can often be an alien experience because they don't really look like Barcelona, but some sort of terrible tribute band made up a bunch of really sad dad plus one of their nephews who can really play. Even tonight with Frenkie de Jong looking supremely confident, composed and adapted in the middle of the park, the Blaugrana were still slow and sluggish. The ball didn't move with the authority it should have done, especially in the final third.
New signing Antoine Griezmann was almost criminally isolated in the second half, barely seeing the ball as the midfielders popped it around inoffensively, never possessing the kind of guile that Messi does to open up even the most stubborn of back-lines nor the ruthless control over tempo that Busquets has which forces Barcelona to play so intensely on the front foot that chances are inevitable.
Whatever else happens with this season going forward, Barcelona need to have Messi and Busquets in the side for the big games – otherwise they will be in for many more rude awakenings like the one they just received in the Basque Country.
2. Barcelona need a forward
Barcelona signed Antoine Griezmann for €120m yet tonight's game really laid bare the fact that they still need another forward. Despite the colossal outlays on Griezmann and his compatriot Ousmane Dembélé, the Blaugrana still found themselves having to turn to old squaddie Rafinha and untested youngster Carles Perez at the San Mamés.
Alright this whole situation was caused because Leo Messi is injured, and Luis Suárez got injured during the game… but both men are 32 years old and Suárez in particular plays at 100mph so injuries are going to be a common theme of his career from this point. Having those two be half of the strikeforce when you have three starting positions to fill is shockingly negligent.
So a forward is needed. That needn't have been the case but the club sold the bright Brazilian Malcom this summer for some reason. Perhaps the pursuit of Neymar isn't just chasing a market opportunity but filling a massive need in the squad.
3. The winds of change
One of the biggest criticisms of Ernesto Valverde's time in charge of Barcelona was his unwillingness to rotate and rest his star players. No matter how many minutes these key men had in their legs, Valverde would put them into the side. The main beneficiaries of this were Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suárez, but even Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba were almost comical in their ever-presence.
But lo and behold Valverde began La Liga playing one of his most difficult away games without Ivan Rakitic and even Sergio Busquets. He started an incredible midfield of Frenkie de Jong, Sergi Roberto and Carles Aleña. Then Luis Suárez picked up a calf injury midway through the first half and had to be subbed off for Rafinha. It felt like the winds of change had come to Barcelona.
Now, alright, he withdrew Aleña at the half for Rakitic but that's why it's only the winds of change and not a full blown storm of revolution. But things are changing at the Camp Nou. Slowly, sure, but there are signs that Ernesto Valverde is learning from his mistakes.
4. Aduriz The Ageless
Aritz Aduriz is 38-years-old and as a result cannot play all that much. He came off the bench with two minutes plus stoppage time left to play. The idea was obviously just for him to hold the ball up and preserve Athletic's draw, and maybe cause Barcelona some trouble in the air if he could, but primarily they wanted his leadership and sense of calm.
Here's the thing, Aduriz is not your typical veteran. Here is a striker who turned 30 with just 54 goals to his name. Since the milestone which usually signals a players' decline, however, Aduriz has hammered home a ludicrous 159 goals. He has gotten unquestionably better with age and in this, his final season, he has started things off in the most perfect of ways.
Again, he came on with just two minutes left plus stoppages. This was not a change to try and win the game, but guess what? When right-back Capa sent a deep cross into the Barcelona box, Aduriz wasn't thinking of controlling it and killing some time. He contorted his body into an absurd shape for someone his age and rattled in a stunning, staggering and sumptuous strike. An overhead bicycle kick to smash into the back of the net and defeat La Liga's defending Champions on the opening night just one minute after coming on.
If this season is his farewell tour then Aduriz has begun it with one hell of a bang. Take a (first of several) bows!
5. Iñaki to the nines
Earlier this week Iñaki Williams signed a staggering nine-year contract at Athletic Bilbao. The deal sees the Basque forward tied to his hometown club until 2028 unless someone wants to bid his €135m release clause that is
Renewing Williams amid interest from some European heavyweights (chiefly Manchester United) but tonight's game showed what he can produce, but also why committing so much time and you'd imagine money to a player like him is a big risk.
In the first half, Iñaki looked like he could hurt Barcelona every time he touched the ball. Possessing terrifying speed and fantastic instincts, Williams terrorized Barcelona. His runs in behind were well-timed and he was a sublime outlet for an aggressive Athletic who were the better side in the game's opening period. But after the break, with his side playing a more withdrawn style, we saw the limitations of Iñaki Williams. As a forward who functions so well off the ball, if Athletic aren't playing aggressively then he can drift to the margins of the game and vanish – and when you've committed so much towards him – that's a real problem.
Kasper35
963
lets see what happens when messi retires fcb will become the new newcastle united🤣🤣🤣
VanishPrasad
444
when you spend millions of dollars on new expensive players but your team is still nothing without Messi.
Lohbcelnoz
59
nothing will happen us by selling coutinho for as long as Valverde is still holding the key to winning door. open that door by sack Valverde from coaching Barcelona if the management still value him I personally depamand for barca B coach swap with €400,000 cash I will pay that money all I want is help from you to rule Valverde to go to barca B as a coach and I will surely bring the cash
hapcknopsy
59
Barca board and valverde are not serious, loaning coutinho and keeping Rakitish on the bench is a disgrace to Barca,griezman,Suarez and Ndembele are all seasonal players, valverde refused to play coutinho on his good position instead trying to use him as winger, instead of trying him on his best position as in Liverpool,u preferred to loan him to Bayern,I pray that Barca should meet Bayern in the knock out stage in the UCL ,u will learn another challenge as that of Roma and Liverpool.This is just the beginning.
Zibbcntuy
57
We don't need new players,we want the previous year team but manager should be change.Our squad is so powerful that it can win six trophy in a year but due to bad manager we are not getting even a treble
Vucbceir
56
barca pay 140 around liverpool for coutinho ,livrrpool used that money for van dijik ,now look at their team , barca pay 120 m for griazman and atm used that money to buy felix and look at his performance why barca board dont understand what type of tallent they want , and coach is just shitt
AdamBilalsalaw
48
this is a warning to the club, without Messi we can't play. for the bord to go in for the neymer they are showing foolishness,as a committed fun who follow the club sins my early age that's from 1999 till date I could determine if we will do better in the laliga,infact we need neymer jr Wright now to support Leo all kinds of players sign can not change our team Wright know they are still incoming players with exceptional of Antonio who weigh age.please let's get the guy or else hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I can see catostroph engulfing the club, valverdi you sold the young talented striker who could replace Luis that's Malcolm without nice replacement, that was the same mistake made when we sold neymer and went in for coutinho which was another failure why all that ,let's do something now
Jegele
45
“Now, alright, he withdrew Aleña at the half for Rakitic but that's why it's only the winds of change and not a full blown storm of revolution. But things are changing at the Camp Nou. Slowly, sure, but there are signs that Ernesto Valverde is learning from his mistakes.” It is a crystal clear lie. Valvalde can never learn from his mistakes rather he will compound it . More humiliating matches to come .😆😄
Vimabcnot
45
Griezmann need a strong big center forward to be effective. Challenge now how Barça going to play both Griezmann and Messi on the same pitch. Barça should go after Kane if they want to win the league
Piyush_24
40
Barca need to start playing 4-2-3-1 in situations where Messi and/or Busquets are not playing. 4-3-3 is not the best formation to accomodate the remaining guys and they should positively try to get Neymar especially now with Coutinho out on loan.
sula-k
38
So l am the father,mother,uncle,aunty and everything for the club. l may give up
memalopru
37
Do not blame any player. Tge Coach is the only person to be blâme for last night disaster. How come that wuth a compacted Bilvao défense, the coatch instructed players not to shot longrange in the team full of good shoters:Dembele, Griezman... You cannot score in a suc well organised défense with soft passing of the ball.
DaMhztourage
36
Griezmann failed to sparkle, Alena not yet ready to replace both as individual and team player , barca team playing with knowledge that Messi is not around , therefore a bit panicky and lacking confidence , end results most times only but convinces rival fans that without Messi , there's no positive result which further clarified the need for a leader and spark up front to make things happen , this where Neymar's return features heavily if he can still replicate his old barca form of MSN that produces over 100 goals combined in a season , will Barcelona manage to work his return ? time will tell , especially now Suarez is out injured, and Coutinho off to Bayern Munich on a season long loan , swift decision needed now by barca board !
beshaq
36
The only thing that Barca has to do, is to sack Valverde. It doesn't who they add to the squad as long as valverde is Barca's coach he will have a bad impact on the team.
vesdilrsty
35
Barcelona had no player to feed griezman good balls, do not attack da player anyhow, and how do u expect Williams to be at his best when his side is receiving attacks from daycare might Barcelona, do not just read da game wrongly this is y all football sometimes sucks.
shuvomns
33
it seems dembele isn't serious at all. Losses the ball so cheaply. I can't understand why u have to make so much change on away and difficult games. Alena, sergi and de Jong in the mod is a poor choice when u have rakitic , busquets, Vidal and Arthur to play. one of the senior should have been there from the beginning at least when Messi wasn't there.