Valencia vs Athletic Club: Predictions , Preview, Lineups, H2h for September 21, 2025

On September 20, 2025, Valencia will host Athletic Bilbao at the Mestalla Stadium in the fifth round of La Liga, starting at 21:00 Central European Time. Here’s a look at the teams’ attacking performance ahead of the match.

Valencia

Valencia finished last season in twelfth place, down from ninth the year before. They were six points away from European qualification, but also had a similar margin above the relegation zone.

This season has not started well for Valencia. They drew their opening match with Real Sociedad, then lost away to Osasuna. They did win 3-0 against Getafe at home, but suffered a heavy 0-6 loss to Barcelona in their most recent game. Currently, they sit 15th in the table with four points and a goal difference of 4-8.

Against Athletic Bilbao at home, Valencia has only one win in the last four meetings, while Athletic won three times. The last two matches at Mestalla were tightly contested, both ending with fewer than 2.5 goals.

Athletic Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao enjoyed a strong season last year, finishing fourth in La Liga and securing a Champions League spot for the first time since the 2014/15 season. They were particularly strong in defense, allowing only 29 goals, ten fewer than league champions Barcelona.

In contrast to Valencia, Athletic started the new season well with three consecutive wins against Sevilla, Rayo Vallecano, and Betis. However, their form has dipped recently. They lost 0-1 to Alavés at home and then fell 0-2 to Arsenal in their Champions League opener. This leaves Athletic on a two-match streak without a win or a goal. They still hold fourth place in La Liga with nine points.

In their recent meetings with Valencia, Athletic has shown strong form, losing just once in the last eight matches, with five wins and two draws. Notably, five of those matches ended with fewer than 2.5 total goals.

Probable lineups

• Valencia: Agirrezabala, Gayà, Copete, Tárrega, Foulquier, López, Santamaría, Guerra, Rioja, Danjuma, Duro.
• Athletic Bilbao: Simón, Areso, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche, Jaureguizar, Ruiz de Galarreta, Williams I., Navarro, Sancet, Sannadi.

Key facts and head-to-head stats

• Valencia have not won 10 of their last 12 matches.
• Athletic Bilbao have lost 3 of their last 4 matches.
• Athletic Bilbao have lost 6 of their last 7 away games.
• Athletic Bilbao are unbeaten in 7 of their last 8 matches against Valencia.
• Athletic Bilbao have won 3 of their last 4 away games against Valencia.
• Three of the last four meetings ended with under 2.5 goals.

Valencia vs Athletic Bilbao prediction

Both teams are not performing at their best currently. Valencia has had difficulty maintaining form, with only one win and two losses, including a heavy defeat to Barcelona. Athletic started strong but has faltered recently, not scoring in their last two matches. Historically, Athletic has done well against Valencia, and their games have often been low-scoring. Based on the form of both teams and past encounters, a close, defensive match is expected. A bet for under 2.5 total goals at odds of 1.56 seems reasonable.