Barcelona hosted Athletic Bilbao at the Camp Nou in their final fixture in September.
The hosts came into the game in an unusual and precarious situation. Not only did they fail to win their previous two La Liga matches but their form lacked nearly everything one would expect from this team. More importantly, they lacked the chemistry that rivals have revered for years. Barca needed a convincing win to breathe a sigh of relief and relieve the mounting pressure.
Athletic Bilbao had also felt the early season pressure, to an extent more than what Barca were feeling before the game.