The crucial La Liga round 25 match will take place on Friday night in San Mamés between Athletic Bilbao and Elche CF.

Bilbao go into the game in 9th place with 31 points, while Elche are in 16th place with 25 points and are fighting to avoid a bottom three spot.

match preview

Athletic Bilbao have had a mixed experience in La Liga, with nine wins, four draws and 11 losses out of 24 games, and are far from qualifying for Europe.

The Lions are 29 points behind leaders Real Madrid and 14 points behind fourth-placed Atlético Madrid, underscoring the effects of their unsteady start to the season.

However, there are signs that Ernesto Valverde’s side may be gaining momentum at a crucial stage of the campaign.

Athletic enter this contest on the back of a 2-1 victory over Real Oviedo and will be looking to build on this result.

This victory means they have now recorded three wins and one draw and one loss in their last five games in all competitions.

San Mamés once again proved to be the home of the Basque team, with Athletic picking up 20 points from 12 home games.

Six wins, two draws and four losses on their own ground highlights the importance of home advantage, especially for a team that has struggled to maintain consistency on the road.

Their recent league results (two wins, one draw, two losses in their last five games) reflect that inconsistency, but also suggest they can achieve positive results if they can maintain their defensive structure.

Valverde leans toward a pragmatic approach that prioritizes structure, relying on the pace and creativity of his attackers to make a difference, and this approach could give him an edge in the final third.

Elche, on the other hand, have been equally challenging this season, with their campaign characterized by inconsistency and an inability to turn draws into wins.

With 5 wins, 10 draws and 9 losses, they are in a precarious situation, just one point out of the relegation zone.

Their goalscoring record of 31 goals scored and 35 goals conceded suggests they were competitive, but their failure to exploit promising positions has left them vulnerable.

Their away form in particular remains a major concern, as they are yet to win away from home this season, accumulating just four of their 33 away points.

Four draws and seven losses highlight their struggles, and their poor performance has severely hampered their hopes of survival.

Eder Sarabia’s side have been struggling, failing to win any of their last five matches.

A goalless draw in the last game against Osasuna highlighted their attacking struggles, and their lack of cutting edge was the cost.

The most recent meeting between the two sides ended in a goalless stalemate, and looking back at recent history, Athletic have won two of the last five close matches, Elche have won one and two have been draws.

Athletic Bilbao La Liga form:

Athletic Bilbao form (all competitions):

Elche La Liga form:

Elche form (all competitions):

team news

There were injury concerns for Athletic Bilbao ahead of this game, with Alex Berenguer suffering from a muscular injury, while Nico Williams is unlikely to feature due to a groin problem.

Mikel Jaureguizar was also doubted after being forced off with a foot injury in the match against Real Oviedo.

Malone Sanadi is still sidelined with a torn meniscus, but he is close to returning and could return later this month.

For Elche, Grady Diangana is doubtful to play due to a physical condition, and Hector Fort was ruled out due to a shoulder injury.

Josan is also a concern heading into this fight as he continues to deal with muscle issues.

In attack, Andre Silva and Alvaro Rodriguez will lead the line and Elche will be expected to improve their performance in the final third.

Athletic Bilbao’s expected starting lineup:

Simon. Gorosabel, Paredes, Laporte, Berchiche. Luis de Galarreta, Lego. Serrano, Sunset, Williams. Grzeta

Elche’s projected starting lineup:

DiTuro; Varela, Bigas, Chusto, Petro. Morente, Aguado, Febas, Cepeda. Rodriguez, Silva

Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Elche

Athletic Bilbao’s good home form and recent growth should give them the upper hand in this contest.

Elche’s struggles away from home and lack of attacking sharpness make this a difficult task, and it is hard to imagine the visiting team leaving San Mamés with a positive result.

Click here for data analysis including the most likely outcome, scoreline and more for this match.