Barcelona 1-0 Athletic Bilbao: Ivan Rakitic goal sends Barca top of table

Ivan Rakitic scored the only goal as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao to move back to the top of La Liga.

The substitute latched onto Lionel Messi’s pass before slotting home with 19 minutes to go.

It was a 15th La Liga assist of the season for Messi, who remains on 699 career goals despite going close himself on two separate occasions in the closing stages.

Real Madrid can go back to the top if they beat Mallorca on Wednesday.

Barcelona were far from their best but did enough to grind out this victory. With Real Madrid having a better head-to-head record, Barca need their rivals to slip up even if they win every remaining game.

Mid-table Athletic had beaten the Catalans twice this season – on the opening day of La Liga and in the Copa del Rey quarter-final – but failed to test goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen once.

Messi, who turns 33 on Wednesday, was hoping his 700th career goal would come – and he was close when he cut in and curled wide, before again missing the target from Ansu Fati’s pass.

But he still helped Barca win the game when he fed Rakitic, who scored his first goal of the season. Messi’s 15 assists in La Liga this season have helped Barca pick up 15 points.

Line-ups

Barcelona

Substitutes

Ath Bilbao

Substitutes

Match Stats

Live Text

Match ends, Barcelona 1, Athletic Club 0.

Full Time

Second Half ends, Barcelona 1, Athletic Club 0.

Attempt blocked. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Dani García (Athletic Club).

Ansu Fati (Barcelona) hits the right post with a right footed shot from very close range.

Attempt saved. Arturo Vidal (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Jordi Alba with a cross.

Foul by Arturo Vidal (Barcelona).

Mikel Vesga (Athletic Club) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Attempt missed. Unai Núñez (Athletic Club) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Iker Muniain with a cross following a set piece situation.

Booking

Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona).

Mikel Vesga (Athletic Club) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Hand ball by Óscar De Marcos (Athletic Club).

Attempt missed. Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Riqui Puig with a cross following a corner.

Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Unai Núñez.

Attempt blocked. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ansu Fati.

Attempt blocked. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Dani García (Athletic Club).

Substitution

Substitution, Barcelona. Martin Braithwaite replaces Luis Suárez.

Corner, Athletic Club. Conceded by Ivan Rakitic.

Foul by Riqui Puig (Barcelona).

Dani García (Athletic Club) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Attempt missed. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Nélson Semedo.

Substitution

Substitution, Athletic Club. Raúl García replaces Oihan Sancet.

Ansu Fati (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Óscar De Marcos (Athletic Club).

Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Óscar De Marcos.

Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Unai Núñez.

Attempt blocked. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lionel Messi.

Goal!

Goal! Barcelona 1, Athletic Club 0. Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lionel Messi.

Substitution

Substitution, Athletic Club. Asier Villalibre replaces Iñaki Williams.

Substitution

Substitution, Athletic Club. Ander Capa replaces Íñigo Lekue.

Foul by Lionel Messi (Barcelona).

Yeray Álvarez (Athletic Club) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Attempt missed. Ansu Fati (Barcelona) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Luis Suárez following a corner.

Substitution

Substitution, Barcelona. Ansu Fati replaces Antoine Griezmann.

Substitution

Substitution, Barcelona. Ivan Rakitic replaces Sergio Busquets.

Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Dani García.

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