Madrid, Aug 17 (DPA) Barcelona came from behind to win 2-1 away to Athletic Bilbao in a colourful first leg of the Spanish Supercup, the traditional curtain-raiser of the Spanish season.

Oscar de Marcos gave Bilbao the lead Sunday, only for Xavi and Pedro Dominguez to turn the tables for Barca with handsome second-half goals.

Bilbao will now need to win the second leg next Sunday in Barca's Camp Nou stadium, no easy feat at all.

'We will have to be much sharper in Barcelona,' said Bilbao defender Aitor Ocio at the end. 'It will be difficult there, but we have to try to win it.'

Pedro, for his part, said that 'we reacted very well after they took the lead, and achieved an excellent result'.

Barca went into their first official game of the season without injured strikers Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but nonetheless made an aggressive start, with Bojan Krkic and Daniel Alves forcing sharp saves from Gorka Iraioz.