Preview: Athletic Bilbao vs Girona – prediction, team news, lineups

Athletic Bilbao will attempt to end a run of three consecutive defeats when they welcome Girona to San Mames on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the visitors are searching for their first La Liga win of the season, having picked up just one point from their first five games.

Match preview

After finishing in fourth place last term, Athletic kicked off the new season with a run of three consecutive victories against Sevilla, Rayo Vallecano and Real Betis.

However, an injury to Nico Williams has coincided with a drop-off in form, which has seen Athletic lose three consecutive matches without troubling the scorers.

Los Leones lost 1-0 to fellow Basque side Alaves, before they fell to a 2-0 defeat in their Champions League opener against Arsenal. 

Saturday’s away meeting with Valencia was goalless when Dani Vivian was given his marching orders just past the hour mark, which ultimately had a significant impact as Los Che scored twice in the final 20 minutes to condemn Athletic to a 2-0 defeat.

Despite their recent dip in form, Athletic will still be the favourites to take maximum points off a struggling Girona side, especially as they won four of their five head-to-head home games in La Liga, including a 3-0 victory in last season’s clash at San Mames. 

They have scored at least two goals in four of those five matches, while they have also recorded three shutouts in that period. 

After finishing just a point clear of the drop last term, Girona are starting at the prospect of another difficult La Liga campaign, having lost four of their opening five matches. 

The Catalan side lost their first three games by a combined 10-1 scoreline, before they were denied a win in their away clash against Celta Vigo, conceding from a stoppage-time penalty in a 1-1 draw at Balaidos.

There were still positives to take from the score draw in Galicia, but the same cannot be said about Saturday’s demoralising defeat against newly-promoted Levante.

Axel Witsel and Vitor Reis were sent off either side of an Etta Eyong effort, before the nine men of Girona conceded three second-half goals as they slumped to a 4-0 loss.

As a result of their poor start, Girona are lying at the bottom of the table and are one of four teams yet to win in La Liga this season, piling pressure on Michel to spark an upturn in fortunes sooner rather than later.

The Girona boss will be hoping that his team can offer a repeat of the club’s only successful La Liga trip to San Mames in February 2023, when two own goals and an Aleix Garcia effort secured a 3-2 victory. 

Athletic Bilbao La Liga form:

W W W L L

Athletic Bilbao form (all competitions):

W W W L L L 

Girona La Liga form:

L L L W L

Team News

Athletic are without the injured duo of Benat Prados and Unai Egiluz, while Alex Padilla is completing a three-match suspension and Yeray Alvarez is serving a 10-month doping ban.

Aymeric Laporte is set to make his first start since returning to the club, with Vivian suspended following his straight red card against Valencia. 

Nico Williams is unlikely to be ready for Tuesday’s home clash as he continues to work on his recovery from an adductor injury.

As for Girona, they are unable to call upon Juan Carlos, David Lopez, Ricard Artero and Thomas Lemar, while Joel Roca is away with the Spain squad at the Under-20 World Cup.

The club’s medical team will have to assess Viktor Tsygankov, who has missed the last three matches with a thigh issue.

Witsel and Reis are both suspended for the midweek away trip after being sent off in Saturday’s heavy defeat to Levante.

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:

Simon; Gorosabel, Paredes, Laporte, Berchiche; Vesga, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Gomez, Berenguer; Guruzeta

Girona possible starting lineup:

Gazzaniga; Martinez, Frances, Blind, Moreno; Martin, Solis, Ounahi; Asprilla, Gil, Vanat

We say: Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Girona

Athletic have gone three consecutive matches without troubling the scorers, but Tuesday’s clash represents an opportune moment to end their drought against a team that have conceded 15 goals in the opening five games.

We believe that the hosts will claim a relatively comfortable victory to extend Girona’s wait for their first win of the season.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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