Highlights: Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Barcelona
FC Barcelona started the defence of their 2018-19 La Liga title with a surprise 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao on the opening night of the new Spanish football season.
Substitute Aritz Aduriz scored a spectacular volley with his first touch in the final two minutes in what was the only goal of the game against a Messi-less Barcelona.
The Argentine superstar picked up a knock in pre-season that ruled him out of Barcelona’s opener at the San Mamés Stadium on Friday night. Ernesto Valverde handed a league debut to big summer signing Antoine Griezmann, partnered with Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele in attack, but the visitors only mustered two efforts on target all game.
As well as keeping the fearful front three at bay, Gaizka Garitano’s side caused Barcelona problems on the counter-attack and took all three points when Aduriz found space around the penalty spot to connect with an acrobatic volley that gave Marc-Andre ter Stegen no chance.
Barcelona will be looking to pick up their first three points of the 2019-20 campaign when they host Real Betis on Sunday night.
Watch the highlights from Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Barcelona here:
