Alaves vs Athletic Bilbao predictions and match preview for Sunday’s game in LaLiga. Read on for the head-to-head, team news, betting tips and predicted lineups as the hosts target their first win of the season.
- DATE: Sunday 4th October 2020
- KICK-OFF: 14:00 (local time)
- VENUE: Mendizorrotza
- COMPETITION: LaLiga Santander
Alaves vs Athletic Bilbao Preview
There’s a Basque derby on Sunday in LaLiga as Gaizka Garitano takes his Athletic side to Vitoria to take on Alaves. The hosts have made a slow start to the season with pressure already building on Pablo Machin and with the international break following this, the former Girona and Sevilla boss will be desperate for a positive result here.
Alaves are currently propping up the Spanish top flight table with just one point from their opening four games. That came via a goalless draw against Getafe last weekend but they were beaten again in midweek by Villarreal. They’ve switched from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 and it’ll be interesting to see whether Machin persists with that here or reverts to his preferred formation. Either way, they look like a team that could really do with some fresh blood arriving before the window shuts.
Things haven’t been going much better for Athletic either. While they did see off Eibar last weekend, a shock home defeat to the 9 men of Cadiz in midweek really highlighted their creative deficiencies. With a two man advantage for close to half an hour, they somehow failed to open up the newly promoted side and lost the game 1-0 with last weekend’s hero Unai Lopez the villain of the piece this time around with an own goal.
As a result, this is a pressure game for both teams and a defeat for either would leave them with plenty to stew over during the international break.
Head to Head
- Last 6 Competitive Meetings: 2 Alaves Wins, 2 Athletic Wins, 2 Draws.
- Alaves have won 3 of their last 4 home league games against Athletic, drawing the other.
- They were 2-1 winners in this fixture in February.
- The sides met in a friendly last month with Athletic winning 2-1.
Team News
We may see a switch back to 3-5-2 here from Machin with the 4-4-2 failing to deliver a result at the Ceramica. Tomas Pina is their only significant injury doubt.
Yeray Alvarez is the only regular missing for Athletic. Asier Villalibre is pushing for a start in attack.
Predicted Real Valladolid Starting Lineup:
Pacheco – Duarte, Laguardia, Lejeune – Rioja, Garcia, Battaglia, Pons, Mendez – Perez, Joselu (3-5-2)
Predicted Eibar Starting Lineup:
Simon – Yuri, Martinez, Nunez, Capa – Dani Garcia, Unai Lopez – Morcillo, Raul Garcia, Muniain – Williams (4-2-3-1)
Alaves vs Athletic Bilbao Predictions
Score Prediction: Alaves 0-0 Athletic Club
Neither of these teams look like they have goals in them and with confidence low in both camps, this could develop into a really scrappy derby match that is low on quality. A goalless draw could be on the cards in what is by no means the pick of the weekend fixtures.
LaLiga Betting Tips (18+)
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