Lionel Messi (L) bagged a brace in Barcelona’s UEFA Super Cup triumph. (Getty)
Barcelona ensured 2015/16 got off to a winning start in Tuesdays UEFA Super Cup, securing an enthrallling 5-4 win over Europa League winners Sevilla.
Next up for the Spanish giants is a two-legged tilt with Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup, with the first leg being played on Friday. The Super Cup is contested between the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey, but because Barcelona claimed both trophies the other spot in the competition goes to the Copa del Rey runners-up.
Enter Athletic Bilbao.
The club that only employs players with Basque heritage has enjoyed a long run of success in Spain’s top flight. Though not as strong of a club as they were in the early 1980s, Bilbao has never been relegated from Spain’s top division in more than 100 years of existence.
Here’s what you need to know about the match:
The Basics
Barcelona and Bilbao met in last season’s Copa del Rey Final. (Getty)
Who:
What:
Spanish Super Cup, first leg
When:
Friday, August 14
Where:
San Mames Stadium, Bilbao
Time:
4 p.m. Eastern time; 9 p.m GMT; 10 p.m. local time
Channel:
Watch ESPN (US) /Sky Sports 5 (UK)/TV3 (Spain): (International viewers, click here for your local provider)
Odds:
Athletic Bilbao 11/2, Barcelona 4/9, Draw 7/2
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Read more about this game in Spanish at AhoraMismo.com:
