Athletic Bilbao 1 - Barcelona 3

Athletic: Lafuente; Iraola, Sarriegui, Ustaritz, Casas; Orbaiz, Javi Martínez; Etxeberría (Urzaiz 65'), Yeste, Garmendia (Gabilondo 73'); Llorente (Expósito 22'). 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Zambrotta, Puyol, Márquez, Van Bronckhorst; Xavi, Edmilson (Giuly 31'), Deco (Iniesta 62'); Messi, Gudjohnsen (Saviola 72'), Ronaldinho. 4-3-3.

Team changes: Athletic: Casas, Etxeberría, Llorente for Murillo, Amorebieta, Aduriz / Barça: Gudjohnsen for Eto'o.

Goals:
1-0. 12. Yeste. Hooked ball past Valdés after Llorente cross came off Márquez.
1-1. 45. Ustaritz (own goal). Turned cross into net under pressure from Puyol.
1-2. 61. Gudjohnsen. Ran on to Xavi through ball and poked shot wide of keeper.
1-3. 77. Saviola. Finished off passing move with Ronaldinho, Xavi and Iniesta.

Barcelona remain at the top of the table after recovering from a goal down to beat Athletic Bilbao 1-3 on Saturday night. The Basque side's new lady president Ana Urkijo was in charge of proceedings for the first time, and there was an air of optimism after Lamikiz's resignation earlier in the week. And when Yeste volleyed home the first goal in the twelfth minute after Llorente's cross deflected up off Márquez, they appeared to have turned the corner.

With Samuel Eto'o out for five months after a serious knee injury at Bremen midweek, Frank Rijkaard had given the striker's shirt to Gudjohnsen. And the ex Chelsea forward was in the thick of things early on, picking up Messi's pass before being felled by Casas as he approached the area, referee Fernández Borbolán showing a rigorous red card to the Bilbao left back.

Sarriurgarte reacted immediately, taking off his sole striker Llorente to bring on a replacement defender, Expósito, and Rijkaard responded replacing Edmilson with Giuly. For the rest of the first half th home side were pushed back, Ronaldinho going close with a couple of free kicks, Lafuente almost gifting the ball to Gudjohnsen with a wild kick, and Xavi shooting just wide of the post. And with the first half coming to a close Barça equalised when Ustaritz poked Gudjohnsen's cross past his own keeper with Puyol challenging hard.

The visitors came out for the second half with confidence after the goal, and Márquez could have given them the lead when he fired a shot against the post. Gudjohnsen had a penalty claim turned down soon afterwards, and a few minutes later the Icelandic striker ran on to an excellent through ball from Xavi to shoot wide of Lafuente and put his side in front.

After that Rijkaard decided to change his front man, giving a run out to Saviola. And he too took his chance to stake a claim for a bigger presence in the side, scoring a third goal after a rapid passing move split the Bilbao defence apart. Barça consolidated top spot, and Athletic will have to wait a little longer for their recovery to begin.