Barcelona made a winning return to the Camp Nou on Thursday, beating Athletic Club 2-0 to maintain their perfect start to the 2026/27 LaLiga campaign.
Raphinha opened the scoring in the first half before Fermin Lopez settled the contest late on, giving Hansi Flick’s side six points from their opening two league matches. Barcelona had previously started their title defence with a 5-0 victory away to Elche.
Raphinha Puts Barcelona Ahead Against Athletic Club
Barcelona controlled the opening stages and created the clearer chances, with Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon keeping his side in the contest.
Simon produced an important save to deny Lamine Yamal in the 18th minute, while Raphinha went close shortly afterwards when he headed against the post from Xavi Espart’s cross.
Barcelona thought they had taken the lead through Pedri in the 29th minute, but the effort was ruled out for an offside in the build-up.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 37th minute. Pedri split the Athletic defence with a perfectly weighted pass, allowing Raphinha to round Simon and finish into an unguarded net.
The Brazilian has now scored three times in Barcelona’s first two league matches, having again operated as the central forward rather than from his more familiar wide position.
Barcelona Continue to Control the Game
Athletic struggled to build sustained pressure after falling behind, while Barcelona continued to threaten around the visitors’ penalty area.
Simon made another important close-range stop before half-time, this time preventing Lamine Yamal from doubling the advantage.
Yamal remained influential after the interval. The teenager came close again in the 53rd minute when his powerful effort from outside the box struck the crossbar.
Barcelona’s dominance was not completely comfortable, however. Athletic had an opportunity to draw level in the 75th minute when Oihan Sancet struck the post from distance.
Rodri Makes Barcelona Debut
One of the night’s biggest moments came away from the goals when Rodri entered the match in the 62nd minute to make his Barcelona debut.
The Spain international joined Barcelona from Manchester City after winning the 2026 World Cup with Spain in North America. He began the match on the bench before being introduced by Flick as Barcelona looked to control the closing stages.
His arrival gives Flick another elite option in midfield and adds considerable experience to a squad already attempting to defend the LaLiga title for a third consecutive season.
Barcelona had made three changes from the side that defeated Elche, with Anthony Gordon making his full debut while Pau Cubarsi and Pedri also returned to the starting XI.
Fermin Lopez Seals Barcelona Victory
Athletic’s resistance finally ended eight minutes from full time.
Karim Adeyemi drove a low cross into the area, but Aymeric Laporte failed to deal with the delivery cleanly. Fermin Lopez reacted quickest to the loose ball, controlled it inside the box and fired past Simon in the 82nd minute.
The goal gave Barcelona the breathing room their overall performance deserved and ensured Athletic could not take advantage of their limited opportunities.
Barcelona Maintain Perfect Start to LaLiga
The victory leaves Barcelona on six points from two matches, level with Real Madrid, Real Betis and Sevilla at the top of the early LaLiga standings. Athletic Club, meanwhile, remain without a point after their opening two fixtures.
The result also underlines Barcelona’s attacking depth. Raphinha has already scored three goals, while Fermin has added another important contribution from midfield. Yamal did not find the net but remained a constant threat, hitting the woodwork and forcing Simon into several saves.
Flick’s side now turn their attention to Rayo Vallecano, with Barcelona’s official schedule listing the next home league fixture for August 31.
For Barcelona, the bigger picture is encouraging. They have scored seven goals across their first two league matches without conceding, while the return to the Camp Nou has begun with a controlled victory over a traditionally difficult opponent.
For the latest official competition information, Barcelona’s fixture and season details are available through LaLiga.