Athletic Bilbao – Girona: Who will break their winless streak?
In the sixth round of La Liga, Athletic Bilbao will host Girona on their home turf. The match is set for Tuesday, September 23, kicking off at 19:00 CET, and here’s my preview and prediction for this clash.
Athletic Bilbao – Girona: match preview
Last season, Athletic Bilbao delivered vibrant football, finishing fourth and securing a spot in the UEFA Champions League. However, Ernesto Valverde’s side has faced some struggles in the current campaign. The start was promising: in the opening three rounds, the Basques defeated Sevilla 3-2, Rayo Vallecano 1-0, and Betis 2-1. But then came a string of losses—against Alavés 0-1 in La Liga, Arsenal in the Champions League, and Valencia 0-2 in their previous outing. Still, Athletic have nine points and sit seventh in the standings.
Girona dazzled in the 2023/24 season but only managed 16th place in the previous campaign, narrowly avoiding relegation by a single point. The new season hasn’t started well either. In the first three matches, they suffered defeats to Rayo Vallecano 1-3, Villarreal 0-5, and Sevilla 0-2. The Catalan side then earned their first point with a 1-1 draw against Celta, but in the latest round, they were hammered 0-4 by Levante. Currently, Girona have just one point from five rounds, with a goal difference of 2:15.
Match facts & H2H
- Athletic Bilbao have lost their last four matches.
- Girona are winless in six straight games: one draw and five defeats.
- The Basques have conceded in five consecutive matches; Girona in seven.
- Girona have the worst defense in La Liga—15 goals conceded.
- Girona also have the league’s second-worst attack—just two goals scored.
- In their last head-to-head, Athletic Bilbao thrashed 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 for form, but I see Athletic Bilbao as the favorite for this fixture. They’re playing at home, and my prediction is a Basque victory.
