Arthur injury leaves hole in Barcelona midfield and other talking points ahead of Athletic Bilbao clash

Andy West 00:00 10/02/2019
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Arthur will be a big miss in midfield.

    After their midweek cup exertions, Barcelona return to La Liga action with a testing trip to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday night.

    Real Madrid’s win in Saturday’s Madrid derby gives Ernesto Valverde’s team the chance to move eight points clear at the top, but it will not be easy against a home team which has restored confidence following a slow start to the season.

    Let’s look forward to the game with three key storylines to follow – including a fresh injury problem for the league leaders.

    ARTHUR LEAVES A HOLE

    The revelation of the season for Barcelona has been midfielder Arthur Melo, whose smooth passing performances in the centre of the pitch have earned the ultimate compliment of regular comparisons with Xavi.

    The 22 year-old Brazilian has quickly become a key component of the team’s strongest line-up, underlining his importance most recently with a strong showing against Real Madrid in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey draw, where his ball retention abilities helped dominate the high-calibre opposition of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

    However, that game was followed by bad news because Arthur has suffered a hamstring strain which will keep him out of action for three to four weeks, meaning he is set to miss Sunday’s trip to Bilbao along with crunch upcoming league clashes with Sevilla and Real Madrid, the cup return at the Bernabeu and the first leg of the Champions League meeting with Lyon.

    The task of replacing him in the starting line-up will probably fall to Arturo Vidal, but the combative Chilean is a very different kind of player and the absence of Arthur will need Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets, both of whom looked off-colour during the midweek cup game, to assert greater authority in the centre of the field.

    SELECTION ISSUES IN ATTACK

    The make-up of coach Ernesto Valverde’s forward line is anyone’s guess, with a wide array of combinations presenting themselves. Firstly, the former Athletic coach will have to wait and see whether captain Lionel Messi will be fit to start at San Mames, with the Argentine still not fully recovered from a thigh injury.

    It is highly likely, however, that Ousmane Dembele will be fit for action after a three-week absence, but there is by no means a certain starting place for the Frenchman following the excellent display delivered in midweek by Malcom, whose goalscoring outing more than merited another opportunity to impress. Indeed, the best route back into the starting eleven for Dembele could be on the left flank, where Philippe Coutinho’s ongoing struggles could see him drop down to the substitutes’ bench.

    Amid so many uncertainties, the only player in the forward line almost certain of starting is Luis Suarez. But even he doesn’t have a 100% definite place, because his up-and-down performance against Madrid on Wednesday very much bore the look of a man who could do with a break. Kevin-Prince Boateng was signed for precisely that purpose, so Valverde has an option…but he surely won’t use it on Sunday night, will he?

    WILLIAMS INSPIRING REBORN ATHLETIC

    Just a few weeks ago, a trip to Bilbao would not have seemed at all daunting, as the Basque club struggled through a desperately disappointing season which saw them firmly ensconced in a battle against relegation.

    But Athletic have enjoyed a dramatic upturn in fortunes in recent outings, with new coach Gaizka Garitano overseeing a seven-game unbeaten run which propelled the team into mid-table comfort and sparking ambitions of climbing even higher.

    That run came to a conclusion with last weekend’s 2-1 Basque derby loss to Real Sociedad, but Athletic will now be eager to kick off another surge and they can call upon La Liga’s newly-crowned player of the month, Inaki Williams.

    The gifted but erratic striker was electric in the opening month of 2019, showing his undoubted capabilities by netting winners against Celta Vigo and Sevilla – with the latter game seeing him finally score at home in the league for the first time in more than two years.

    Athletic have won three of their last four games at San Mames without conceding and with livewire Williams leading the line, they will be going out with all guns blazing to upset the leaders on Sunday night.

    Recommended