Aduriz plays a terrible pass to Lekue which stymies an attack down the left from the home side.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!! BARCA KILL OF THE GAME! Paulinho has a simple tap-in from close range after a counter. Messi lead the break and fed Suarez to his left. The Uruguayan fired low towards the bottom corner, but Kepa made a fine save to keep the ball out. However, the Brazilian was there to convert the rebound with his right foot.
90' +1
BLOCK! Rakitic puts his body on the line at the back to deny Etxebarria as he volleyed at goal from the edge of the box.
90'
OVER! Messi sends his effort over the wall, but it sails narrowly over the bar, with Kepa in position anyway.
There will be three minutes of added time.
89'
Messi wins a free-kick 30 yards from goal. He could the end game here with a strike as well as taking valuable time away from the home side.
87'
Barcelona are doing their utmost to put their foot on the ball to take the pace out of the game and seconds off the clock.
85'
SAVE! Etxebarria sends a delivery in from the left flank and Aduriz gets ahead of Umtiti to head at goal, but Ter Stegen gets down at his near post to make a brilliant stop for the visitors. That may have saved his side two points this evening.
84'
Bilbao have lost their attacking momentum over the last few minutes as Barca have regained a semblance of control.
83'
Susaeta enters the game and replaces I. Williams.
Nélson Semedo enters the game and replaces André Gomes.
Semedo comes on to the field to replace Gomes.
Williams makes way for Susaeta.
81'
S. Umtiti gets yellow.
Umtiti is booked for timewasting.
Minute
Description
80'
OFFSIDE! Messi lifts the ball over the top of the home side's backline for Suarez's run, but as he stretches to strike at goal the flag goes up for offside. It has not been the Uruguayan's night.
78'
SAVE! Aduriz collects in the left inside channel and creates space for a strike towards the bottom corner, but Ter Stegen gets down to make a comfortable stop.
77'
Williams sends a cross deep to the back post for Cordoba, but the winger sends his effort on the volley narrowly over the bar.
75'
Paulinho gets yellow.
Paulinho goes into the book for pulling back Garcia.
73'
The home side are applying a tight press to Barcelona and it's making life difficult for the visitors to take the pace out of the game.
71'
WIDE! Garcia is afforded space and time 30 yards from goal to fire at goal. He gets power on his strike, but not the accuracy, pulling his effort wide of the target.
69'
Cordoba tries to latch on to Williams' cross at the back post, but he has to take try to take the ball out of the air, but can only send his effort wide of the post.
68'
Beñat enters the game and replaces San José.
Iturraspe curls a dangerous ball to the back post, but Garcia making a late run just cannot make solid contact on the slide. Bilbao are heating up in the final third.
San Jose makes way for Etxebarria.
66'
BLOCK! Suarez knocks the ball around Nunez and goes for the strike in the box after getting round the defender, but the Bilbao man recovers well to make the goal-saving block.
65'
A mistake at the back from Umtiti allows Williams to gather inside the box, but he fires a tame effort straight into the hands of Ter Stegen.
64'
Iturrapse sends in an awful cross that sails over the heads of everyone in the area and out for a goal-kick. That was a terrible delivery from the midfielder.
63'
Piqué gets yellow.
Pique catches Aduriz late and he hands Bilbao a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left flank.
Pique is booked for his late challenge on Aduriz.
61'
Nunez makes a vital intervention at the back to stop Gomes firing at goal after Messi released the run of the Portuguese in the box.
58'
The home side have displayed a better intensity since the break in the final third. They've still lacked the quality, but Barca are being made to work hard at the back.
56'
Nunez makes a good challenge on Suarez down the left flank, but he gets caught inadvertently in the face from the striker's boot. He requirest treatment before we can continue.
55'
Williams has a surge down the right and he lobs his cross to the back post, but Ter Stegen is able to take the ball out of the air with ease. A poor delivery from the winger.
53'
OFF THE BAR! Bilbao win a corner on the right and the delivery comes to the back post for Garcia to head at goal from Cordoba's cross. Ter Stegen comes for the ball and misses it, but the midfielder is denied by the bar from his effort.
51'
Bilbao break towards the edge of the box, but they overplay the ball and San Jose loses possession. The home side have to be more clinical in the final third.
49'
Gomes breaks away through the middle of the Bilbao defensive line, but he dwells too long on the ball and spurns the opening to shoot. Messi takes over, but he cannot find a way through and it allows the home side to clear the danger.
47'
Sergio Busquets gets yellow.
Busquets goes into the book for a foul on San Jose.
46'
We're underway again in Bilbao.
Bilbao win a corner down the left that is cleared away. Lekue goes for ambitious strike at goal from 40 yards and sends his effort well over the bar.
45'
The referee ends the first half.
Aduriz tries to latch on to a cross into the box, but he goes down under little contact from Umtiti as the Frenchman tries to clear the ball.
43'
Messi sends the ball over the top of the Bilbao defence, but Suarez is flagged offside as he tries to reach it on the stretch at the back post.
42'
BLOCK! Suarez strikes the ball with power towards the net, but Laporte sticks his head in the way to make the clearing header.
41'
Iturraspe gets yellow.
Iturraspe goes into the book for his challenge on Messi.
Iturrapse brings down Messi on the edge of the box, handing Barca a free-kick in a great position to double their lead.
40'
OFF THE POST! Paulinho misses a great chance to put Barca two ahead as he slams his close-range effort off the post. Messi weaved his way into the area and teed up the Brazilian for the strike, but he was denied by the woodwork.
38'
Messi makes another surge into the final third, but on this occasion San Jose makes a good challenge to stop his run.
36'
L. Messi has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by Jordi Alba.
GOALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!! MESSI FIRES BARCA AHEAD! The Argentine converts a flowing move from the visitors, dispatching his low left-footed strike past Kepa, who should do better to keep the shot out. Alba was allowed to raid down the left and his cutback found Messi's forward run into the box. Before Bilbao could react at the back, the forward fired his effort into the back of the net.
Alba raids down the left and slides the ball back to Messi to convert.
35'
Cordoba tries to release the run of Williams in the box, but the pass is poor and intercepted by Alba, who starts his team on the counter down the left flank.
33'
WIDE! Alba breaks down the left inside channel and he cuts the ball back to Suarez on the edge of the box. He pulls the trigger on the half-volley, but the ball strikes Gomes and heads wide. The trajectory of the striker was going off target anyway.
31'
Boveda makes an important intervention at the back to stop Gomes reaching the ball in the box. The Portuguese then fouls Laporte as he clears the danger away from the area.
29'
Garcia and Williams have a miscommunication in the final third, with the former sending the ball out for a goal-kick. The home side have lost some of their early impetus.
28'
Messi and Paulinho combine on the edge of the Bilbao box. Without a great deal of options, Paulinho goes for the drive at goal, sending his effort wide of the post.
26'
BLOCK! Sergi Roberto advances down the flank and he manages to nudge the ball inside to Suarez before he falls to the deck. Suarez goes for the strike from a tight angle and wins a corner as Laporte sends his effort behind.
25'
The game is beginning to open up at both ends of the pitch, but neither side have been at their clinical best.
24'
Rakitic bursts into space in the right inside channel and goes for the early strike, but he blasts his effort straight at Kepa.
21'
OFF THE POST! Messi misses a glorious chance as he combines with Suarez in the box. He rounds Kepa with ease, but with his right foot he guides his effort on to the post. A let-off for Bilbao.
20'
Will Bilbao be made to rue those missed opportunities. Barca don't give you many and will not be so forgiving at the other end of the pitch.
19'
CHANCE! Boveda fools the Barca defence with his free-kick and he slides the ball to Williams in the box, but he scuffs his effort at goal and it allows Busquets to clear in front of his own goal.
MISS! Bilbao keep the pressure on and somehow Aduriz breaks through on goal and has only Ter Stegen to beat. He goes for placement into the bottom corner, only to hit his strike too close to Ter Stegen, who makes the save.
18'
SAVE! Williams breaks down the right and he sends a cross into the box for Aduriz to attack, but his header lacks the power to beat Ter Stegen.
17'
Bilbao are able to clear the first delivery away, while the follow-up cross from Sergi Roberto sails straight into the hands of Kepa.
16'
Barcelona clear their lines from the corner and turn defence into attack. Messi almost slides Suarez into a good position on the right flank, but the Uruguayan's strike is blocked by Lekue for a corner.
14'
Lekue breaks into the box down the left inside channel and he goes for the blast. Umtiti makes the block, but the home side appeal for a penalty, only for the referee to point for a corner. The ball hit Umtiti in the stomach rather than his arm.
11'
The home side are not backing down from the challenge and are trying to find space down the flanks to put Barca under pressure.
9'
Williams has space on the right flank to whip a cross into the box, but Umtiti is able to clear the ball away with ease. A poor delivery from the winger.
8'
Barcelona are attempting to establish control of the game with a spell of possession, but the home side are resisting well thus far and not afraid to close down Barca high up the pitch.
6'
Messi seizes on a loose clearance from the Bilbao defence and he goes for the strike from 25 yards, but Kepa makes a comfortable save.
5'
Suarez clips the ball behind the Bilbao defence, but Gomes is flagged offside as he tries to latch onto the ball. That was a tight call against the Portuguese.
3'
Aduriz controls the ball well on his chest and tries to release the run of Williams in behind, but Alba makes the interception before Ter Stegen clears downfield.
1'
We're underway in this LaLiga contest.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the LaLiga clash between Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona at the San Mames Barria.
Bilbao have been meandering in LaLiga this season and have claimed only one win in their last six matches. That came against Sevilla in their last outing on home soil in an impressive performance as Mikel Vesga scored the only goal of the game. However, Jose Angel Ziganda's men failed to build of their success, losing on the road against Leganes, while they drew the first leg of their Copa del Rey clash against Formentera during the week. They need a strong display this evening to stop the Barcelona juggernaut.
The team news has been announced and we'll start with the home side.
Bilbao subs: Herrerin, Saborit, Benat, Susaeta, Etxeita, Mikel Rico, Sabin.
BILBAO (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Boveda, Laporte, Nunez, Lekue; San Jose, Iturraspe; Williams, Raul Garcia, Williams; Aduriz.
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Pique, Umtiti, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Paulinho; Messi, Suarez, Gomes.
Barcelona subs: Cillessen, Semedo, Denis, Deulofeu, Alcacer, Digne, Oriol.
Mikel Balenziaga, Oscar De Marcos and Iker Muniain are all still absent for the home side this evening. Lekue comes into the side to replace Saborit in the backline, while Iturraspe comes into the team for Vesga from the side that was beaten in their last league outing by Leganes.
Barcelona have dropped just two points thus far in LaLiga this season, which came on the road against Atletico Madrid. They eased past Malaga last time out and were able to brush aside Real Murcia in the Copa del Rey during the week. Ernesto Valverde will be desperate for his side to continue their momentum this term with another winning effort against his former team.
Javier Mascherano is out due to a fever for Barcelona this evening, with Gerard Pique replacing him in the line-up. Paulinho and Jordi Alba also come into the fold from the side that defeated Malaga in their last LaLiga contest.
FLASHBACK! Valverde's Bilbao were beaten 1-0 by Barcelona last season, with Ivan Rakitic scoring the only goal of the game in the 21st minute. Now in the adjacent dugout, Valverde will be hopeful for a similar result.
The players are out on the pitch, so we should be underway shortly.
HALF-TIME: ATHLETIC BILBAO 0-1 BARCELONA
Lionel Messi's strike has handed Barcelona a narrow lead over Athletic Bilbao at the break. The home side should have been ahead as Inaki Williams and Aritz Aduriz both missed good opportunities to put them ahead, although Messi struck the post before he eventually found the net with a neat finish. Paulinho struck the woodwork before the interval, which almost put Ernesto Valverde's men in complete control. Barca have the lead, but the game remains open after 45 minutes.
The players are out for the second half, so we should be underway shortly.
FULL-TIME: ATHLETIC BILBAO 0-2 BARCELONA
Barcelona keep rolling at the start of the season to record their ninth win of the campaign in just 10 matches. Goals from Lionel Messi and Paulinho secured the victory, although it could have been a different story had Inaki Williams and Aritz Aduriz taken their first-half opportunities. However, Ernesto Valverde will be delighted with the professionalism of his side's performance against his former club.
Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Until next time, goodbye.
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