Athletic Bilbao 0 - Barcelona 1

Athletic: Gorka Iraizoz; Iraola, Aitor Ocio, Amorebieta, Mikel Balenziaga; Orbaiz (Gurpegui 76'); David López, Garmendia (Susaeta 61'), Yeste, Gabilondo (Ion Vélez 75'); Llorente. 4-1-4-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Daniel Alves, Márquez (Puyol 65'), Piqué, Abidal; Víctor Sánchez, Touré Yayá, Keita (Sergio Busquets 32'); Iniesta, Eto'o, Henry (Hleb 79'). 4-3-3.

Team changes: Athletic: Garmendia for Javi Martínez / Barcelona: Daniel Alves, Víctor Sánchez, Touré Yayá, Keita, Henry for Puyol, Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Gudjohnsen, Messi.

Goals:
0-1. 63. Eto'o. Picked up Henry through ball and ran on to beat Iraizoz.

Yellow cards: Amorebieta 38', Orbaiz 49', Márquez 50', Balenziaga 73', Busquets 88', Eto'o 89'.

Barcelona moved back above Real Madrid to fourth spot after a 0-1 victory at Athletic Bilbao. With one eye on the upcoming Champions League match, Guardiola left Messi, Xavi and Puyol out of his line up and gave young midfielder Víctor Sánchez a first start.

Víctor Valdés had to make a couple of vital saves from free kicks by David López and Yeste in the first half, but Gorka was also in action at the other end, keeping out Eto'o on a couple of occasions.

Barça had the better of things in the second half though, Iniesta curling a shot wide soon after the restart. And with just over an hour gone a good run by Henry ended with him slipping the ball through to Eto'o, who forced his way past Amorebieta before shooting wide of the keeper.

Amorebieta almost put through his own net after that, Gorka scrambling across to push out his back header, and Eto'o missed an easy chance with the game coming to a close. Guardiola's side had done enough though for a seventh win in a row in all competitions, and Athletic drop down to the brink of the relegation zone, just above Recreativo on goal difference.