Athletic Bilbao will face Girona in La Liga’s sixth round at home. The match is on Tuesday, September 23, starting at 19:00 CET. Here’s a preview and prediction for the game.
Athletic Bilbao – Girona: match preview
Last season, Athletic Bilbao played exciting football, finishing fourth to earn a place in the UEFA Champions League. This season has been tougher for Ernesto Valverde’s team. They had a strong start with wins over Sevilla (3-2), Rayo Vallecano (1-0), and Betis (2-1). However, they have since lost three matches—against Alavés (0-1), Arsenal in the Champions League, and Valencia (0-2) in their last game. Despite this, Athletic holds nine points and is currently in seventh place.
Girona had an underwhelming season last year, finishing 16th and narrowly avoiding relegation. This season hasn’t started well either. They lost their first three matches to Rayo Vallecano (1-3), Villarreal (0-5), and Sevilla (0-2). Girona managed a draw against Celta (1-1) but suffered a heavy defeat against Levante (0-4) last time out. They sit at the bottom of the standings with just one point from five matches, and a goal difference of 2:15.
Match facts & H2H
- Athletic Bilbao has lost their last four matches.
- Girona is without a win in six games, with one draw and five losses.
- Athletic has conceded goals in five consecutive matches; Girona has done so in seven.
- Girona has the worst defense in La Liga, with 15 goals conceded.
- Girona also has the second-worst attack in the league, scoring only two goals.
- In their last meeting, Athletic Bilbao defeated Girona 3-0.
Probable lineups
- Athletic Bilbao: Simon; Gorosabel, Paredes, Laporte, Berchiche; Vesga, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Gomez, Berenguer; Guruzeta
- Girona: Gazzaniga; Martinez, Frances, Blind, Moreno; Martin, Solis, Ounahi; Asprilla, Gil, Vanat.
Prediction
Both teams are struggling, but Athletic Bilbao is favored in this matchup. Playing at home, I predict a victory for the Basques.