Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao

Barcelona dominated Athletic Bilbao from start to finish at the Olimpic Lluis Companys, running out comfortable 2-0 winners. The hosts controlled the game with 71 per cent possession and peppered Bilbao's goal with chances throughout, registering 22 shots and 10 on target. They broke the deadlock before half-time and added a second after the break to secure a convincing victory, though Athletic had little to show for their efforts beyond four corners and a handful of efforts. Unai Simón had an evening to forget in the Bilbao goal, earning the match rating of 9/10 despite his side's defeat—a reflection of the relentless pressure Barcelona applied. The visitors offered minimal resistance going forward, managing just four shots across the ninety minutes. It was a one-sided affair that showed little drama and plenty of Barcelona's attacking quality on a night when their opponents simply couldn't get going.

Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, and the numbers from the match back up how the game played out. Barcelona also had the better share of the ball, holding 71% possession, which usually goes hand in hand with the extra control a winning side tends to show. The shot count told a similar story, with 22 attempts from Barcelona against 4 from Athletic Bilbao over the course of the game. Athletic Bilbao had their moments and did not make it easy from start to finish, but ultimately came up short on the day. Small margins like this one tend to add up over a season, and results such as this are often what separates teams in the table further down the line. Here is a closer look at exactly how the two sides compared, statistically.