Athletic Bilbao will be aiming to make it four La Liga wins in a row when they resume their domestic campaign at home to Sevilla on Sunday afternoon.
The Basque outfit are currently fifth in the table, boasting 13 points from their first seven matches of the season, while Sevilla sit 13th, having picked up eight points from their opening seven games.
Match preview
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Athletic made an underwhelming start to the 2024-25 La Liga campaign, only picking up four points from their opening four matches, but they have since posted three straight wins over Las Palmas, Leganes and Celta Vigo to rise up the table.
The Lions have collected 13 points from seven matches to sit in fifth position, just one point behind fourth-placed Villarreal, and they were 3-1 winners over Celta in the league last weekend.
Ernesto Valverde's side then switched their attention to the Europa League, opening their 2024-25 campaign with a 1-1 draw against Roma in Italy, with Aitor Parades netting a late leveller for the Basque outfit.
Athletic finished fifth in La Liga last season and will be expecting to be in and around that position for much of this campaign, but it remains to be seen how Valverde balances European commitments.
The Basque team did a league double over Sevilla during the 2023-24 campaign, including a 2-0 success when the two teams met at San Mames towards the end of the season.
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Sevilla are not in Europe this season, while their 14th-placed finish from last term represented their worst campaign in Spain's top flight since being relegated in 2000.
Los Nervionenses have also found it difficult to get going in the early stages of 2024-25, boasting a record of two wins, two draws and three defeats to collect eight points, which has left them in 13th spot.
Garcia Pimienta's side have managed to win two of their last three league matches, though, beating Getafe and Real Valladolid at home either side of a 2-1 loss to Alaves.
Sevilla looked to be sharing the points with Real Valladolid last time out, but Chidera Ejuke came up with a winner in the 85th minute of the contest to secure the three points for the hosts at Estadio Ramon.
Despite losing both league games last season, Sevilla have a recent away success over Athletic to their name, recording a 1-0 victory at San Mames in April 2023.
Team News
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Nico Williams featured off the bench in Athletic's clash with Roma after recovering from an injury, and the Spain star is now expected to come back into the starting side for this game.
There will be changes from the side that started against Roma, with Oscar de Marcos and Adama Boiro also likely to return to the side this weekend.
Gorka Guruzeta scored twice in Athletic's 3-1 win over Celta last weekend, and the Spaniard will once again lead the line for the Basque side, with Inaki Williams playing off the right.
As for Sevilla, Jesus Navas, Saul Niguez, Djibril Sow, Isaac Romero and Albert Sambi Lokonga are out of the match through injury, while Marcao is suspended following his red card against Real Valladolid.
Navas and Saul both picked up issues last time out, and their absences will likely open the door for Lucien Agoume and Gonzalo Montiel to come in for starts.
Peque Fernandez is expected to keep his spot in the final third of the field, but there could also be an introduction for Ejuke following his goal off the bench in the team's last game.
Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:
Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Vivian, Paredes, Boiro; Ruiz de Galarreta, Prados; I Williams, Sancet, N Williams; Guruzeta
Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Nyland; Montiel, Bade, Salas, Barco; Gudelj, Agoume; Ejuke, Fernandez, Lukebakio; Iheanacho
We say: Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Sevilla
Athletic have the winning feeling in La Liga at the moment, and we are backing them to triumph again here, but Sevilla are capable of making it a difficult match despite their troubles this term.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
