Barcelona 2 - Athletic Bilbao 2

Barcelona: Bonano; Reiziger, Puyol, Frank De Boer, Sorín; Xavi, Cocu; Mendieta (Riquelme 72'), Saviola, Overmars; Kluivert. 4-2-3-1.
Athletic: Aranzubia; Javi González (César 73'), Karanka (Aitor Ocio 79'), Luis Prieto, Del Horno; Oskar Vales, Alkiza; Joseba Etxeberría, Tiko, Yeste (Gurpegui 83'); Ezquerro. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barcelona: Sorín, Cocu, Saviola, Kluivert for Christanval, Rochemback, Riquelme, Dani / Athletic: Karanka, Ezquerro for Aitor Ocio, Urzaiz.

Goals:
1-0. 06. Saviola. Header past Aranzubia after Overmars crossed in from right.
2-0. 14. Overmars. Ran on to lofted Kluivert pass to shoot across keeper.
2-1. 47. Ezquerro (penalty). After Sorín brought down Tiko on edge of area.
2-2. 49. Yeste. Shot past Bonano after ball fell to him from deflected free kick.

The focus of attention in Spanish football this week was at Barcelona, where club president Joan Gaspart announced his resignation two days ago and Radomir Antic was in charge of the side for the first time for the match against Athletic Bilbao. Gaspart will not be leaving until 1st March though, and when he took his place in the directors' box there were still some whistles in his direction.

Antic went back to a four man defence, with new signing Sorín making his debut in the Nou Camp and Overmars and Mendieta flanking Saviola behind Kluivert. Within six minutes the new tactics appeared to have worked, Saviola heading an Overmars cross past Aranzubia, and a few minutes later Overmars scored himself, heading on a lofter Kluivert pass to hit an angled shot across the keeper.

Barça kept up the pressure for the rest of the first half, with Sorín heading just over and Aranzubia saving from Cocu, and the fans celebrated at half time thinking that their problems were over. But immediately after the break everything went wrong, and two minutes after the restart Athletic were awarded a penalty when Sorín tripped Tiko on the edge of the area. The foul appeasred to be just outside the area, but referee Megia Dávila turned down the appeals and Ezquerro scored from the spot.

Worse was to come though, and Yeste equalised two minutes later after Del Horno's free kick deflected off a defender into his path. Antic brought on Riquelme for Mendieta, but Cocu failed to take advantage when presented with a chance, and Etxeberría almost snatched a win for the Basque side when he was given a free header but could not get the ball past Bonano. Barcelona ended the week in a lowest ever sixteenth place, only two points away from the relegation zone, and Antic has some work to do before the Champions League resumes in ten days' time.