Athletic Club 0-0 FC Barcelona: Costly draw

This game was a golden opportunity for Barça to fling themselves right back into the championship race. Real Madrid could only draw with Valencia the day before and Girona had just been toppled away to Mallorca.

But it all ended as it began at San Mamés, 0-0, and instead the perspective has to be different one. Two points were dropped, but the overall situation in the league table is much the same as it was when the weekend started.

But Barça fans will now be hanging on the worrying news concerning perhaps the two most important components of their team’s midfield.

Double injury blow

First, Frenkie de Jong, who had played every single minute of 2024 so far, fell awkwardly on his ankle and had to be stretchered off.

It also looked like something might be up with Pedri. And indeed, the Canary Islander eventually dropped to floor in desperation. Something wasn’t right in his leg, and with a devastated look on his face, he too conceded that his game was over.

After the game, Xavi lamented that both players are likely to be out for games, in the plural, and also accepted that the injuries certainly impacted his team's morale.

Intense battle

But 0-0 was probably a fair result for a game that was a tight, fascinating battle despite the lack of any goals.

The biggest moment of the whole game was a blaugrana one. With Unai Simón caught way off his line, a phenomenal long-range effort from Cancelo had the Basque keeper flailing in the air and unable to keep the ball out.

Some goal that would have been. But Yeray got there in the nick of time to clear it off the line.

Otherwise, a game full of half chances was more about defensive brilliance from both sides rather than what their respective forwards were able to offer.

Defences in control

Athletic had been an incognito going into this game. Their morale is in the clouds after qualifying for the Copa del Rey final in style, but manager Ernesto Valverde had made no fewer than seven forced and unforced changes to the side that had played just three days earlier.

And Xavi had a point when he said the Lions are the most intense team in the league. Intense they were indeed and Barça struggled to get comfortable against a side that is eyeing the Champions League next season.

Araujo out for Friday

The more the game progressed, the more Athletic were coming forward, but attack after attack came to nothing thanks to some top work in the blaugrana defence, and despite the constant pressure, Ter Stegen was never really even tested.

So, the spoils are shared in Bilbao, and next up for Barça is a game with in-form Mallorca on Friday. And Xavi will have to make do without Ronald Araujo for that one. The Uruguayan defender picked up a fifth yellow card tonight and he’ll be suspended.