Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao Predicted Lineups – January 2026
Mansion Sports – The 2026 Supercopa de Espana semifinal will present an exciting clash between two Spanish giants, Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao.
Barcelona will be looking to secure a place in the Supercopa de Espana final when they face Athletic Bilbao in the semifinal stage of the competition.
This match is scheduled to take place at King Abdullah Sports City on Wednesday, 07 January 2026 at 22:00 local time.
The Catalan giants are the most successful team in the history of this tournament with a total of 15 trophies, while Athletic Bilbao have won the competition three times.
Now, before this match kicks off, let us take a look at Mansion Sports’ prediction for the Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao lineups January 2026 below.
Team Conditions Ahead of the Match
Barcelona
Barcelona have recorded eight consecutive victories in all competitions after securing a 2-0 win over Espanyol in the top tier of Spanish football last Saturday.
The team coached by Hansi Flick also remain firmly at the top of the La Liga standings, four points clear of second-placed Real Madrid.
The Catalan giants have in fact not lost a domestic match since El Clasico at the end of October, and they are strong favorites to defeat Athletic on Wednesday to secure a place in Sunday’s final against either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid.
Barcelona, as previously mentioned, have won the Spanish Super Cup 15 times and are the current holders after defeating Real Madrid 5-2 in last year’s final.
In the same edition, they also eliminated Athletic Bilbao with a 2-0 victory in the semifinal.
Blaugrana could be set for a very successful end to the season, with three domestic trophies firmly within their sights.
However, they still have work to do in the Champions League, where they are currently positioned 15th in the overall standings.
Barcelona also hold the upper hand in recent meetings with Athletic, having won 4-0 in the league earlier this season, and conceding just one goal in their last five encounters with the Basque side.
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao understand very well how to achieve success in the Spanish Super Cup, having lifted the trophy three times previously, with their most recent title coming in 2021. They also reached the final of the competition in 2022.
The Lions come into this match after a 1-1 draw against Osasuna. Overall, the first half of the season has been fairly challenging for the Basque side.
The squad coached by Ernesto Valverde currently sit eighth in the La Liga table, 14 points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid.
Their only victory in the last five matches across all competitions came against Ourense CF in the Copa del Rey.
Athletic are also competing in the Champions League this season, but a difficult campaign has left them in 28th place in the standings, two points adrift of the playoff zone.
Even so, Athletic Bilbao have a relatively competitive record in the Supercopa de Espana, winning three of their last eight meetings against Barcelona, including a 3-2 victory in the final in January 2021.
Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao Lineups January 2026
Barcelona (4-2-3-1)
Barcelona could once again be strengthened by the return of Ronald Araujo, after the Uruguayan defender recently resumed training with the first team following an absence to focus on his mental health.
Barcelona’s squad condition is fairly ideal, with Andreas Christensen and Gavi, who are both suffering from knee injuries, confirmed to be the two players unavailable for the Supercopa de Espana.
Eric Garcia’s performances in midfield have been considered very solid, which could see Pedri deployed in a more advanced role.
Marcus Rashford may also start on the bench, allowing Lamine Yamal and Raphinha to operate on the wings.
Robert Lewandowski is pushing to start in the forward line, but there is a strong possibility that Ferran Torres will be trusted to begin the match from the first minute.
Athletic Bilbao (4-2-3-1)
From the Athletic Bilbao camp, Yeray Alvarez is suspended, while Yuri Berchiche, Aymeric Laporte, Benat Prados, Unai Egiluz, and Maroan Sannadi are all sidelined with various injuries and will miss the match against Barcelona.
Nico Williams, who is also being linked with Barcelona, is set to occupy one of the wing positions, while his brother, Inaki Williams, will operate on the opposite flank.
Gorka Guruzeta managed to score in the previous match against Osasuna, and that performance may be enough to retain his place as the main striker, despite competition from Alex Berenguer.
With the condition of both teams and the player compositions expected to be deployed, this semifinal match is certain to be intense and full of tension.
Both Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao bring their history, ambition, and best strengths onto the pitch.
Looking at the Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao Lineups January 2026, this match is well worth anticipating as one of the most exciting duels at the start of 2026.