Athletic Bilbao vs Valencia Match Analysis and Prediction

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Athletic Bilbao will be looking to make three wins in a row in La Liga when they play host to Valencia San Mames Barria on Saturday.

The hosts are currently eighth in the table, five points behind sixth-placed Real Sociedad, while Valencia are 10th, eight points behind their Saturday’s opponent.

Athletic Bilbao have suffered just one defeat in their last six league matches, claiming three wins in the process, including back-to-back victories over Cadiz and Atletico in their last two matches in La Liga.

The Lions have picked up 51 points from 34 matches which has left them one point behind seventh-placed Villarreal, so they have a chance of securing European football for next season.

Marcelino Garcia’s side have not finished higher than seventh in La Liga since claiming fifth in 2015/16, while they are on course to improve on last season’s 10th-place finish in Spain’s top flight.

Athletic have won nine, drawn three and lost five of their 17 home league matches this season to collect 30 points, and they will be welcoming a Valencia side that have collected 20 points from their 17 games on the road, the 10th-best away record in the division.

Meanwhile, Valencia enter the contest off the back of a 1-1 draw with Levante last weekend, with Hugo Duro putting Los Che ahead in the 27th minute before Oscar Duarte levelled later on.

Jose Bordalas’ side will take on Athletic Bilbao, Real Betis, Espanyol and Celta Vigo in their final four league matches of the season, and they will be looking to improve on last season’s 13th-place finish, which proved to be their poorest final position at this level of football since the 1987-88 season.

Each of the last three league matches between the sides have finished level, including a 1-1 draw at Mestalla earlier this season.

Athletic Bilbao vs Valencia head to head

The two sides have previously met on 61 occasions across all competitions, where Valencia have claimed 26 victories while Athletic have won 16, and they have drawn in 19. Athletic have scores 71 goals and conceded 90. In their last five meetings, Valencia have won once while they have drawn in four.

Valencia 2-2 Athletic Bilbao 12/12/20

Athletic Bilbao 1-1 Valencia 07/02/21

Valencia 1-1 Athletic Bilbao 25/09/21

Athletic Bilbao 1-1 Valencia 10/02/22

Valencia 1-0 Athletic Bilbao 02/03/22

Athletic Bilbao latest home form

Athletic have recently been on a good run of form at home, having lost just one of their ten most recent matches. In their last home game, they managed to defeat Atletico Madrid 2-0 in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored eight goals and conceded five.

Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Levante 07/03/22

Athletic Bilbao 1-1 Getafe 18/03/22

Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Elche 03/04/22

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Celta Vigo 17/04/22

Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Atletico Madrid 30/04/22

Athletic Bilbao latest away form

Athletic have recently been on an upturn in form on the road, as they have been unbeaten in their two most recent matches. Their last away defeat came 1-0 against Real Betis on March 13 in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored four goals and conceded nine.

Barcelona 4-0 Athletic Bilbao 27/02/22

Valencia 1-0 Athletic Bilbao 02/03/22

Real Betis 1-0 Athletic Bilbao 13/03/22

Villarreal 1-1 Athletic Bilbao 09/04/22

Cadiz 2-3 Athletic Bilbao 21/04/22

Valencia latest home form

Valencia have recently been on a relatively good run of form at home, having lost just one of their five most recent matches. In their last home form, they played out a 1-1 draw with Levante in the league. In their last five games, they have scored six goals and conceded four.

Valencia 1-0 Athletic Bilbao 02/03/22

Valencia 3-1 Granada 05/03/22

Valencia 0-0 Cadiz 03/04/22

Valencia 1-2 Osasuna 16/04/22

Valencia 1-1 Lavante 30/04/22

Valencia latest away form

Valencia have recently failed to keep a good run of form on the road, having lost each of their two most recent matches. Their last away victory came on March 19 when they defeated Elche 1-0 in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored three goals and conceded four.

Getafe 0-0 Valencia 12/03/22

Elche 0-1 Valencia 19/03/22

Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Valencia 11/04/22

Villarreal 2-0 Valencia 19/04/22

Real Betis (P)1-1 Valencia 23/04/22

Athletic Bilbao news

Athletic will again be without Asier Villalibre and Oihan Sancet this weekend through injury, but the hosts are otherwise in strong shape heading into the contest.

Nico Williams should retain his spot on the right, while Raul Garcia is likely to join Inaki Williams at centre-forward with absences of Sancet and Villalibre.

Valencia news

Valencia’s Jose Gaya will miss out following his red card in the Valencia derby last weekend, and his replacement Toni Lato is likely to remain on the sideline through injury.

Ilaix Moriba is back from a suspension of his own, while Maxi Gomez is also back available following an injury.

Prediction and Odds

Valencia will well be capable of picking up a positive result in this fixture, but they are currently struggling to register wins.

Meanwhile, Athletic will be looking to close in on Real Sociedad for a spot in the European football. So we are backing them to take all three points.

Odds: 1 1.82 X 2.05 2 2.50