The first final

The first final
The Camp Nou is the venue on Sunday (22.00, TVE and R@dio Barça) for the return leg of the Spanish Super Cup between Barça and Athletic Club. Guardiola will be looking to benefit from the 2-1 win at San Mamés.
It is never too early to win a trophy, not even when we are still in August. The Barça players will have silverware on their minds against Athletic Club, who visit the Camp Nou tonight, and who will be looking to bounce back from home defeat a week ago.

Off to a good start

Both teams have European distractions. Barça have the European Super Cup game against Shakhtar on Friday, while Athletic Club have their Europa League future at stake away to Tromso. But both Guardiola and Caparrós know what a boost for morale it would be to be able to celebrate a title tonight. Both sides are expected to play at full strength.

24 to pick from

The Barça manager has named 24 players for selection, with only the injured Márquez and Iniesta left out. Five reserve team players, Oier, Fontàs, Muniesa, Jonathan and Jeffren, have also been training with the first team this week, and may enter into the definitive squad that Guardiola won’t be announcing until shortly before kick off. Fontàs and Jonathan, as well as Maxwell and Ibrahimovic, could all be making their official debuts at the Camp Nou.

Basque problems

But not only have the visitors lost the first leg, but they have such players as Amorebieta, Javi Martínez, Yeste, Susaeta and the goalscorer in the first leg De Marcos all sidelined for the Camp Nou. But this is a final, and so despite their problems, Bilbao can be expected to go hell for leather for glory.