- Date and Time: 19.10.2024, 14:00 GMT+1
- Venue: San Mames, Bilbao, Spain
Athletic Club
It’s rare for a club other than Barcelona, Real Madrid, or Atlético to beat Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic Club, but Michel’s Girona managed to do so in the final minutes. Aitor Paredes was sent off by the referee in the 98th minute. Just one minute later, Cristhian Stuani scored the winning goal.
Athletic Club is known for its consistency in Spain, but qualification for the Europa League could shift the club’s dynamics, forcing Ernesto Valverde to prioritise between competitions.
👊 Bring on #AthleticEspanyol#AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/Emfz3zF6gg
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) October 14, 2024
Teams who cannot choose often crash out early from the Europa League. Athletic Club lacks the squad depth to compete effectively in both competitions.
Ernesto Valverde will have to do without Unai Simón, Mikel Vesga, and Nico Williams, as all three are injured. Replacing Simón is manageable, but Nico is harder to replace, as he is a key player in their attack. The absence of Vesga also comes with several consequences, as he works hard off the ball for the team in the midfield.
Another issue is the absence of Aitor Paredes, whose partnership with Dani Vivían formed a solid defensive duo.
Espanyol
While Athletic Club can dream of European glory, Espanyol’s reality is harsher. They are currently 14th in La Liga, with a negative goal difference (9:13). Espanyol’s record is far from impressive, with just three wins, five defeats, and one draw.
Three of the five defeats are from the last week of September, as the Catalans lost against Real Madrid (4-1), Villarreal (1-2) and Real Betis (1-0). The good news for Espanyol is that the team returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Mallorca just before the international break.
🤩 Amb ganes de tornar a competir!
🔜 #AthleticEspanyol pic.twitter.com/o3ZsA5ejtV— RCD Espanyol de Barcelona (@RCDEspanyol) October 15, 2024
Espanyol might be fourteenth, but the relegation zone isn’t far. Real Sociedad (9 points), Getafe and Leganes (8 points) are one victory away from overtaking Espanyol and leaving Espanyol in the relegation zone.
The schedule isn’t doing Espanyol any favours, either. In the coming weeks, they are set to face Athletic Club, Sevilla, Barcelona, Valencia, and Girona.
To make matters worse, Espanyol will travel to San Mames, a stadium renowned for its intimidating atmosphere. Javi Puado is still recovering from injury and won’t travel to Bilbao with the team.
Bet hereAthletic Club vs Espanyol Prediction
- Prediction: Athletic Club to win
- Odds: 1.5 (22Bet)
- Score Prediction: Athletic Club 2-0 Espanyol
As expected, the betting odds favour Athletic Club. Historically, Athletic Club has the better head-to-head record, but Ernesto’s team cannot afford to be complacent. Athletic Club won the last encounter in 2023 (2-1), but Espanyol defeated the Basques a year earlier (0-1) in San Mames.
Athletic Club is renowned for its intensity, with Valverde favouring high pressing despite maintaining a mid-block. The team’s counter-attacking transitions are feared across the country, which is a problem for Espanyol as they rarely keep clean sheets.
If Athletic Club fails to win, a potential Mallorca victory against Rayo Vallecano would see Mallorca taking Athletic Club’s 6th place.
Athletic Club vs Espanyol Betting Tip
- Pick: Athletic Club to open the score
- Odds: 1.41 (22Bet)
Teams often collapse at San Mames, not because they are tactically outclassed but because players suffocate under the pressure of the local fans. Athletic Club isn’t a matter of football; it’s the pride of the region.
😎 #AthleticEspanyol week!
Good time to remember this amazing goal from @Williaaams45#AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/Lq35UChZIx
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) October 14, 2024
Ernesto Valverde often starts attacking sequences after recovering the ball in the opponent’s half. It’s even worse for a team that doesn’t have a world-class attacker, which is the case for Espanyol.
Many teams sit back against Athletic Club, allowing the hosts to dominate as their opponents often crumble under pressure. A majority of the hosts’ advantage isn’t tactical but psychological, so I expected the hosts to open the score.
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