Raphinha and Fermin Lopez help Barca beat Athletic 2-0 at Camp Nou, with Rodri debuting in a 2-0 La Liga win

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick watched his side beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at the partially rebuilt Camp Nou on Thursday, 27 August 2026, as Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scored to keep the Spanish champions perfect in La Liga.

Also read: UEFA clarifies penalty, VAR, substitution rules for new season

Mr Flick made three changes from the 5-0 win over Elche. Anthony Gordon started for the first time. Pedri Gonzalez returned in midfield. Pau Cubarsi started in defence. Raphinha again led the line as a makeshift number nine after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.

Barcelona have failed to prise Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, who will not talk to the champions about the Argentina forward. Raphinha, who scored twice against Elche, carried that burden again.

The hosts controlled the first half. Raphinha headed against the post from a Xavi Espart cross. Lamine Yamal’s follow-up was deflected wide.

In the 37th minute Pedri slipped Raphinha through. The Brazilian rounded Unai Simon and rolled the ball home.

Yamal should have added a second before the interval. Simon saved well. Gordon later said he would have had an open goal had the teenager squared the ball.

After the break Gordon shot narrowly over. Yamal, still short of his best after a hamstring injury in April, struck the crossbar from the edge of the box. Simon saved twice from Lopez, who had scored twice in the season opener.

Mr Flick then sent on former Manchester City midfielder Rodri for his Barcelona debut, leaving 10 Spaniards and Gordon on the pitch. Athletic rarely threatened, though Oihan Sancet hit the post on one break.

The second goal arrived in the 82nd minute after a mistake by Aymeric Laporte, who nudged substitute Karim Adeyemi’s cross beyond Simon. Lopez tucked the ball into an empty net.

Adeyemi might have made it three when Yamal found him at the back post, but Simon blocked from close range. Barcelona had already hit the woodwork twice and missed several other chances.

The result gives the champions another firm night at a Camp Nou still under repair, a debut for Rodri, and a fifth league goal in two matches for their stand-in striker.

Also read: UEFA clarifies penalty, VAR, substitution rules for new season

For Athletic it was a disciplined defeat against a side that Barca beat Athletic without ever looking fully ruthless.