Aston Villa vs Athletic Bilbao Match Analysis & Prediction
07/08/2024 9:30 pm
After an unsuccessful trip to the United States, Aston Villa go in search of a morale-boosting win on Wednesday night, when they meet Athletic Bilbao at the Poundland Bescot Stadium.
Following defeats to top MLS side Collumbus Crew and Champions League regulars RB Leipzig in their first two matches of a brief Stateside stay, Aston Villa wrapped up their pre-season tour with a 1-0 loss to Club America in Chicago.
Both Leon Bailey and John McGinn struck the post at Soldier Field, but the Liga MX champions scored a late winner to leave Unai Emery’s side empty-handed from three friendly matches in the USA.
With just two friendly wins under their belt so far – against League Two neighbours Walsall and Slovak side Spartak Trnava – the Europa Conference League semi-finalists will be intent on settling their supporters’ concerns in midweek.
Before kicking off a new Premier League campaign against West Ham United, as they aim to replicate or even better last season’s fourth-placed finish, tough tests await in Villa’s last two warm-up matches – after Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, they meet beaten Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund in Germany.
With three wins and two defeats, Athletic’s pre-season has been a mixed bag as well, and they have two games to go before properly kicking off the 2024-25 campaign.
Once they have faced Villa and Stuttgart over the next week, Athletic will host Getafe on La Liga’s opening matchday, following a season in which they ended their 40-year Copa del Rey drought and finished fifth in Spain’s top flight to secure Europa League qualification.
Since a 3-0 friendly defeat to Portuguese giants Sporting, Ernesto Valverde’s side have recently posted back-to-back wins, most notably beating regional rivals Osasuna to win the Basque Cup.
Goals from Alvaro Djalo and Inaki Williams helped Athletic lift the Euskal Herria Txapela for a third time, following triumphs in 2018 and 2022, before they went back to work at their training centre in Lezema.
Aston Villa vs. Athletic Bilbao Head to head
This will be the first meeting between these two teams.
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Aston Villa Team News
New signing Ian Maatsen made his first start against America last time out, while another recent arrival Lewis Dobbin came close to scoring a late equaliser.
Big-money buy Amadou Onana joins Samuel Iling-Junior, Ross Barkley and Enzo Barrenechea in the squad.
Aston Villa's Last 5 Matches
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17/07/2024Walsall0Aston Villa3Club Friendlies
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20/07/2024Spartak Trnava0Aston Villa3Club Friendlies
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28/07/2024Columbus Crew4Aston Villa1Club Friendlies
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01/08/2024RB Leipzig2Aston Villa0Club Friendlies
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04/08/2024America1Aston Villa0Club Friendlies
Athletic Bilbao Team News
Athletic’s main acquisition is Alvaro Djalo, who arrives from Braga – he was partly brought up in the Basque Country and therefore fulfils the club’s stringent eligibility criteria.
While star man Nico Williams is building back his fitness after a brilliant showing at Euro 2024, he is set to start again.
Athletic Bilbao's Last 5 Matches
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20/07/2024Burgos2Athletic Bilbao1Club Friendlies
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24/07/2024Athletic Bilbao2Racing Santander1Club Friendlies
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27/07/2024Sporting Lisbon3Athletic Bilbao0Club Friendlies
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01/08/2024Athletic Bilbao1Eibar0Club Friendlies
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03/08/2024Athletic Bilbao2Osasuna1Club Friendlies
Aston Villa vs. Athletic Bilbao: Odds and Predictions
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