Barcelona are looking for Champions League places, and as such they easily sent Athletic club Bilbao to the Camp Nou. Ousmane Dembele went from pantomime villain to household hero, as an impressive substitute appearance by him settled the game.
Barcelona started quickly but could not score early. The Athletic saw the defense work, but they struggled to catch the ball. Villalibere didn't have much support, and couldn't trap it when the ball got to him. Barcelona's waves of attacks seemed almost endless as the first half continued, and it looked like it would only be a matter of time before they got in the way of the hosts.
It was a set piece that did the trick. Found a corner pick from the left, which picks up well to bounce the ball towards goal. It cannonballed the cross bar, and fell on Aubameyang. The former Arsenal captain showed impressive athleticism, reacting to a falling ball and firing it into the back of the net.
Barcelona went to halftime to score a goal, perhaps thinking they should have had more. The Athletic Club was more assertive in the second half. They were more aggressive with their pressure and forced some dangerous moments, but in reality they were always second best.
Nevertheless, Barca's lead was still slim until the arrival of Ousmane Dembele. Hardly a fan favourite, the forward was whistled on his introduction, and every time he had the ball. It didn't take long for him to change. Frankie de Jong's slanted ball around the corner finds him in space attacking the corner of the box. He parked his man before driving to the left and shone the ball past Unai Simon.
His celebration with Gavi and half the coaching staff at the touchline said a lot. Dembele wasn't done yet, eight. He made two superb assists from the left-hand side. First, with his left foot, picking up a ball for de Jong to attack in the air, and then to make it 4-0, he swings the ball to Memphis with his right hand so that it hits close. guide the house.
Legs different to tackle the Basque side, same result, and the quality of his delivery was great. In the end, it is another league defeat at the Camp Nou for Athletic, and it is another victory for Barcelona that only goes from strength to strength.