Athletic Club Prepares for Spotify Camp Nou Debut Against Barcelona

omidbasir- This Saturday, Athletic Club will debut at the Spotify Camp Nou in a match crucial for their chances against Slavia Prague in the tournament’s knockout stages. Lekue, a veteran captain of the team, understands the significance of facing Barcelona. After serving a two-match suspension for a red card received during the match against Getafe, he commented on the upcoming clash: “Barcelona has a very distinctive style of play. Every team knows this and prepares accordingly, but it’s a challenging match regardless of whether it’s at Camp Nou or Montjuïc. They are difficult to catch off guard. We are not focused on statistics; our concentration is solely on the match itself.”

Lekue emphasized the team’s harmonious atmosphere, noting, “The break has been beneficial for us, giving us two weeks to catch our breath and organize ourselves for the challenging month ahead. We require team solidity, and for this match, we need to control the game in a way that suits us. We know how to exploit their defensive line, and it’s essential that we execute our plan effectively. Compared to last season, we are lacking the solidity and competitiveness that a positive dynamic can provide, which sometimes allows you to win almost effortlessly. That’s what we need to regain; it shouldn’t feel like we’re scraping by in matches.”

Competing without the support of their loyal fans against Barcelona, especially in an atmosphere that has been tense in recent seasons, adds another layer of difficulty to the match. Lekue remarked, “I’m not sure what the true sentiment is towards us at Camp Nou. Football thrives on rivalries, and if they see us as rivals and express that, it won’t affect us. However, it is unfortunate that our supporters cannot be there, as many of those who participate in travel or lotteries are family and friends.”

After recovering from muscle discomfort, Lekue aims to be part of the squad rotation needed during this hectic month. He expressed his desire to remain with the team for the next season and acknowledged the challenge of facing Lamine during the match at Spotify Camp Nou: “He instills the same fear or respect as any other Barcelona player. They are world-class footballers. Lamine makes a difference, and we will try to prevent him from doing so this Saturday.”

Athletic Club seeks to utilize the break to recover injured players and maximize their squad depth for an intense week ahead. “Sancet is improving and has started training with the group, but I am uncertain how close he is to competing this Saturday. The same goes for Nico, who helped us with an incredible goal in the last match. He has been dealing with an inconsistent injury, and these two weeks have been beneficial for him to regain his fitness and focus on recovery.”