After derailing title contenders Atletico Madrid in their title bid, Athletic Bilbao prepares for a midweek clash with Real Valladolid. The match schedules for Wednesday at San Mames with kickoff at 5 pm.
Even though the hosts picked up three points in their last encounter, troubles keep looming for the opponents in the relegation battles especially following their 1-1 draw to Cadiz in their last outing.
The memory of two Copa del Rey losses in two weeks was hard to fathom for Athletic Bilbao. However, a sign of hope came when they did the unexpected with a 2-1 win over title-chasing Atletico Madrid.
It was a tale full of headers, with Alex Berenguer opening the scoring account in the eighth minute. Stefan Savic equalized with a header, but Marcelino’s won the day with a last-minute header from Inigo Martinez.
The win ended an eight winless run in their encounter and marked their first win of the month. It took five consecutive La Liga stalemates to break the deadlock ahead of their clash with Atletico. Their drawing streak continues to hamper their hopes of a top-six finish.
In contrast, their opponents are in a far worse case after finding themselves below the red dotted line following their draw to Cadiz. The side is one point behind Elche and two behind Elche in the relegation battle.
Athletic Bilbao vs Real Valladolid Head to Head
Both sides have 16 games against each other, with Athletic Bilbao taking eight wins while Valladolid with three wins. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Atletico Madrid
Real Betis 0-0 Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao 0-4 Barcelona
Athletic Bilbao 0-0 Alaves
Real Sociedad 1-1 Bilbao
Away
Real Valladolid 1-1 Cadiz
Elche 1-1 Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid 1-2 Elche
Barcelona 1-0 Real Valladolid
Valladolid 1-1 Sevilla
Athletic Bilbao Team News
Left-back Ander Capa sustained a knee injury halfway through their clash with Atletico and remained replaced with Oscar de Marcos. Moreover, Marcelino has another alternative for the spot in Inigo Lekue. We expect a squad rotation with Inaki Williams and Raul Garcia possible contenders.
Real Valladolid Team News
Loanee Kenan Kodro remains unavailable to face his parent club. It gives a chance for duo Shon Weissman and Sergi Guardiola to start. Javi Sanchez and Pablo Hervias returned to ground training and remain available for selection.
Prediction and Odds
Two weeks ago, it could have been easy to envisage a draw; however, the home side has a taste of victory to get them through.
Athletic Bilbao Win
Goals Under 2.5
No Score: Away Team
