Everything you need to know about this weekend's La Liga opener at San Mamés

Lionel Messi and FC Barcelona will be facing Athletic Club for the third straight time on Sunday. / MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB
We highlight the top stories of the week surrounding FC Barcelona’s curtain raiser in the 2015/16 Spanish First Division

This Sunday at 6:30pm CET, FC Barcelona and Athletic Club face off (again), this time in both teams’ first test of the 2015/16 La Liga. To help you understand everything surrounding Barça‘s season debut, we review the top news stories from the build up to Sunday’s match.

Luis Enrique sees a tight battle for the league aheadThe Barça coach thinks this season ‘will be a tight one with several teams challenging for the title.’ Ahead of the game with Athletic, the Asturian sees the clash as very different to the Super Cup matches. 

Jordi Alba declared fit and in the squad for trip to Bilbao — The full back returns after 17 days out following injury in the Gamper game which forced him to miss both Super Cup.

Historic league season openers in Bilbao — FC Barcelona have started the league season five times in Bilbao, winning on three occasions, drawing once and losing once.

When and where to watch Sunday’s La Liga opener between Athletic Club Bilbao and FC Barcelona —  Check out our guide for kick off times worldwide and all the ways you can follow Barça’s first league game of the season.

– Big changes for FC Barcelona’s 2015/16 La Liga rivals — A look at the players who have been added and dropped from the nineteen other teams in the Spanish First Division during the summer.

The two seasons Robert and Valverde spent together at FC Barcelona — FC Barcelona’s technical director and Athletic Club’s manager started eleven matches together and twice scored in the same game.

FC Barcelona quiz: 2015/16 opening day edition. Test your memory as we prepare for the start of a new league season with a trip Bilbao to face Athletic Club.