La Liga 2025-26: Barcelona marks return to Camp Nou with 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao

Barcelona made a triumphant return to the rebuilt Camp Nou stadium on Saturday after two-and-a-half years of exile with a 4-0 win over Athletic Bilbao to move joint top of the La Liga table.

The Spanish champions planned to reopen their stadium a year ago, but construction delays and other setbacks forced the team to wait for its homecoming.

Ferran Torres scored a brace after Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring. Fermin Lopez also struck in a comfortable win against Athletic, who had Oihan Sancet sent off in the second half.

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Hansi Flick’s side moved level with Real Madrid at the top of the table. The Los Blancos visit Elche on Sunday.

Barca set off fireworks before and after the match, as just over 45,000 fans filled the three open stands.

Despite exorbitant prizes, the match was virtually sold out. Barcelona hopes to open more seats by 2026 and use the full capacity of 105,000 next season.

Flick was able to appoint Joan Garcia after the goalkeeper missed the previous nine games with an injury. Garcia helped the team maintain its first clean sheet since September.

Fans had to wait much longer than planned to return to Camp Nou, but were soon able to celebrate the team’s first goal in the new stadium.

Veteran striker Lewandowski, wearing the captain’s armband, opened the scoring in the fourth minute.

Eric Garcia, playing in midfield in place of the suspended Frenkie de Jong, won the ball high up the pitch and Lewandowski beat Unai Simon at his near post with a powerful low strike.

The Basque goalkeeper got his hands on the ball and should have kept it out, but Lewandowski managed to score his eighth league goal of his injury-affected stop-start season.

Lionel Messi, the great player of all time, made an impromptu visit to the renovated stadium a few weeks ago and the fans sang his name in the 10th minute, not forgetting Barça’s brilliant past even as they started a new era.

The home fans also made it clear that they had not forgotten Nico Williams’ decision not to sign for them and whistled Spain forward at every opportunity.

Fermin Lopez came close to a second for Barca, but Simon saved his effort and Dani Olmo shot narrowly wide.

Athletic of former Barca coach Ernesto Valverde occasionally made it difficult for Barca in the first half, but without creating too much danger.

– Torres at the double –

Athletic forward Unai Gomez shot over and Williams curled wide before Barca doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time.

Lamine Yamal played Torres through on goal with the outside of his boot and the striker beat Simon, who could have stopped the shot again.

The Catalan giants struck again early in the second half when Eric Garcia again pressed high in Athletic territory and then fed Lopez, who finished neatly.

Athletic’s miserable afternoon was made worse when midfielder Sancet Lopez brought down in frustration and was dismissed after a VAR review.

Joan Garcia tapped away Dani Vivian’s header after a solid performance back between the sticks.

Flick brought on Brazilian winger Raphinha in the second half after an injury. Within seconds of his introduction, he fired a shot narrowly wide.

Barcelona capped off a perfect afternoon at home when Yamal played another great pass to put Torres through, and the former Manchester City striker tucked away his second pass.

Published on November 22, 2025