BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is expecting another gruelling game at Athletic Bilbao when the La Liga champions visit San Mames on Sunday (today).
Barca scrapped a 1-0 win in the fixture last season thanks to a second-half strike from Luis Suarez after Lionel Messi missed a penalty.
The Catalans were also thrashed 4-0 at San Mames in the Spanish Super Cup, the only domestic competition they failed to win last season.
Athletic only field players who were born in or brought up in the Basque Country but finished fifth in La Liga last season, missing out on Champions League football by two points and reaching the Europa League quarter-finals.
“The fact Athletic have a limited market to choose from, and the fact they have the same coach, means it will be the same as always.
“We are excited to play at San Mames, a stadium we love with an atmosphere you get at few other grounds in the league,” the coach added.