The Round 17 La Liga match between Athletic Bilbao and Espanyol will take place on 22 December at San Mamés in Bilbao. Athletic Bilbao vs Espanyol: preview, prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Athletic Bilbao
For more than a month in La Liga, Athletic have been alternating wins and defeats. In the defeats they have sometimes failed to score at all — for example, they lost 0-2 to Celta in the last round, and earlier suffered 0-7 defeats to Barcelona and Real Madrid combined. On the other hand, in their wins the Basques have kept clean sheets. In their most recent home league game Ernesto Valverde's side held Atletico Madrid to a 1-0 victory. Despite some sharper displays recently, Athletic sit only eighth in the table, though the gap to the European places has been cut to two points.
- At least one side failed to score in six of Athletic's last matches in the championship.
- The club's uncompromising run in La Liga has reached eight matches (3 wins, 5 defeats).
- Athletic have conceded in five of their last seven La Liga games.
Predicted lineup for Athletic Bilbao (4-2-3-1)
Unai Simón – Yuri Berchiche, Dani Vivian, Aitor Paredes, Jesús Areso – Mikel Haurregizar, Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta – Nico Williams, Oihan Sancet, Alex Berenguer – Gorka Guruzeta.
First-choice defender Dani Vivian is suspended. Defenders Yuri Berchiche, Aymeric Laporte and Unai Etxilus, midfielders Beñat Prados and Robert Navarro, and forward Maroan Sannadi are unavailable through injury.
Espanyol
The Catalans are in outstanding form and are beginning to eye a place in the Champions League zone. Espanyol have won four consecutive La Liga matches, keeping clean sheets in three of those. A week ago they secured a narrow 1-0 victory at stubborn Getafe. Under Manolo González, the side have consolidated fifth place in the table, extending their advantage over Real Betis to five points. They are only four points behind Atletico Madrid in fourth and still have a game in hand.
- Espanyol have scored in eight of their last nine La Liga meetings.
- The Catalans' uncompromising run in this competition now stands at nine matches (6 wins, 3 defeats).
- No more than two goals were scored in six of Espanyol's last eight La Liga games.
Predicted lineup for Espanyol (4-4-2)
Marko Dmitrović – Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero, Omar El Hilali – Pere Milla, Edu Expósito, Urko González, Jofre Carreras – Roberto Fernández Jaén, Kike García.
Midfielder Ramon Terrats is unavailable through injury. Captain Javi Puado is a doubt for the match.
Match prediction: Athletic Bilbao vs Espanyol
Athletic have struggled for consistency for some time. Although the team look sharper than they did in September and October, the current pattern of alternating wins and losses hardly matches the club's ambitions. Since the autumn they have won just four of 14 league matches (2 draws, 8 defeats), and in three of those four wins the margin was minimal.
Espanyol, meanwhile, are establishing themselves in the top five and are closing in on a top-four challenge. Since the international break they have put together a four-game winning run in La Liga. In the current season the Catalans have picked up at least one point in 12 of 16 matches (9 wins, 3 draws), and they have lost by more than one goal in only two of those 16 games.
The obvious prediction is Espanyol +1
* For each team the starting lineup shown reflects their previous match in this competition.
