Barcelona: Claudio Bravo; Montoya, Mascherano (Piqué 46’), Mathieu, Jordi Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta; Pedro (Sandro 77’), Messi, Munir (Neymar 62’). 4-3-3.
Athletic: Iraizoz; De Marcos, Laporte, Gurpegi, Balenziaga; Iturraspe, Mikel Rico (Viguera 82’); Susaeta (Ibai Gómez 62‘), Beñat (Unai López 62’), Muniain; Aduriz. 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
1-0. 79. Neymar. Ran on to Messi through ball and clipped shot past Iraizoz.
2-0. 84. Neymar. Steered shot past keeper after Messi laid ball back from right.
Yellow cards: Aduríz 29’, Busquets 61’.
Leaders Barcelona made it three wins out of three after beating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 in the first game on Saturday afternoon. Wearing their red and yellow striped shirts to celebrate Catalunya’s 300th anniversary, Luis Enrique’s side had the better of the first half, with Munir and Messi going close a couple of times and Iraizoz having to save from Pedro, Rakitic and Munir. Bravo did have to keep out Beñat early on, and both sides had penalty claims turned down before the break, but after the restart Barça continued to dominate, Munir having a strike ruled out for a questionable offside and Jordi Alba testing Iraizoz again. Luis Enrique finally turned to Neymar though, and he decided the match with two goals in the last ten minutes, the first after Messi put him through, and the second after Messi laid the ball back to him. The Catalans are sure of top spot whatever happens in the other games, and they have still to let in a goal this season.