Barcelona 1-0 Athletic Club: Messi assists Rakitic in hard-fought win

Ivan Rakitic sprang from the bench to score the goal that nudged Barcelona ahead of Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga.

Match Events

15' MISS! Suarez's shot wide out

Another opportunity for Suarez! The striker was played through on the right and fired a shot towards the bottom left-hand corner of the net. However, he drags it well wide of the Bilbao goal.

21' CLOSE! Yeray's header wide out

CHANCE! Alvarez should've opened the scoring for Bilbao! The visitors won a free-kick midway in the Barca half, after Williams is fouled by Lenglet. The ball is superbly whipped into the penalty area by Lopez and Alvarez loses his marker and meets the cross, powering his header towards the top corner. However, he somehow turns the ball over the bar. Great opportunity.

54' CLOSE! Griezmann's shot denied by Simon

71' GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Athletic Club (Rakitic)

Barcelona break the deadlock, they lead 1-0! Rakitic fires them into the lead after the ball falls to him in the penalty area. Messi tried to work space for the shot himself, but just can't find the space and it fires out to Rakitic who was unmarked and he smashed it past Simon and into the back of the net.

80' NICE TRY! Messi's shot inches wide

CHANCE! Great run by Messi down the right, he cuts inside onto his left foot and tries to curl the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the net. However, it flies just inches wide of the post.

89' AGAIN! Messi's long shot inches wide

Fati lays the ball off to Messi on the edge of the box, who tries to place it into the bottom left-hand corner of the net, but it takes a slight deflection and goes just wide of the post.

Line-ups

Barcelona XI: Messi, Suarez, Pique, Vidal, Alba, Busquets, Griezmann, Ter Stegen, Lenglet, Semedo, Arthur

Subs: Rakitic, Neto, Braithwaite, Umtiti, Firpo, Pena, R. Araújo, Jorge Cuenca, Monchu, Riqui Puig, Álex Collado, Fati

Athletic Club XI: Balenziaga, De Marcos, Unai López, Y.Álvarez, Lekue, I.Williams, Vesga, Unai Simón, Núñez, Córdoba, Oihan Sancet

Subs: R.García, San José, Muniain, Iago Herrerín, I. Martinez, D.García, Kodro, Capa, Asier Villalibre, Gaizka Larrazabal, Dani Vivian, Unai Vencedor