Athletic Bilbao vs Rayo Vallecano prediction, H2H and probable lineups – August 25, 2025
On Monday, August 25, at 19:30 Central European Time, Athletic Club will host Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao for the second round of La Liga. Let's take a closer look at a bet focused on the teams' attacking potential in this clash.
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao had a sensational campaign last season, finishing fourth in La Liga and securing a Champions League spot for the first time since 2014/15. The Basques displayed remarkable consistency and were especially solid at the back—conceding just 29 goals, 10 fewer than champions Barcelona.
Preseason, however, was less than ideal: in seven friendlies, Athletic managed just one win and wrapped up their summer preparations with a 0-3 defeat to Arsenal in the Emirates Cup.
The new La Liga season kicked off on a high note for Athletic, as they battled their way to a hard-fought 3-2 home win over Sevilla. When it comes to head-to-heads at San Mamés against Rayo Vallecano, the hosts have been dominant—winning 7 of the last 8 encounters and losing just once. Most of these matches have been high-scoring: 6 out of 8 finished with over 2.5 goals, and both teams found the net in 5 games.
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano finished eighth in La Liga last season, capping their campaign with an impressive five-game unbeaten streak. That run earned them a spot in European competition, and they've already kicked off their Conference League journey with a commanding away win over Belarusian side Neman.
Rayo also got off to a flying start in La Liga this season, recording a confident 3-1 away victory over Girona.
However, Rayo's head-to-head record against Athletic remains a concern. Their last win over the Basques was back in 2021, and since then, they've faced off seven times: Athletic claimed six victories, with one draw between them.
Probable lineups
- Athletic Bilbao: Simon, Areso, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche, Jauregizar, Ruiz de Galarreta, Williams I., Berenguer, Williams N., Sannadi.
- Rayo Vallecano: Batalla, Pacha, Vertroud, Lejeune, Balliu, Trejo, Gumbau, Lopez, Perez, Nteka, Camello.
Key facts and head-to-head stats
- Athletic Bilbao have lost 6 of their last 7 matches.
- Athletic Bilbao have won 6 of their last 8 home games.
- Each of Athletic Bilbao's last 6 matches have seen over 2.5 goals.
- Both teams scored in 5 of Athletic Bilbao's last 6 games.
- Rayo Vallecano have won 4 of their last 6 matches.
- Rayo Vallecano have won 4 of their last 6 away fixtures.
- Rayo Vallecano scored first in 5 of their last 6 matches.
- Athletic Bilbao have won 6 of the last 7 head-to-heads.
- Athletic Bilbao have won 4 of the last 5 head-to-heads at home.
- 3 of the last 4 head-to-heads have seen over 2.5 goals.
Prediction for Athletic Bilbao vs Rayo Vallecano
Historically, encounters between Athletic Bilbao and Rayo Vallecano have been high-scoring affairs, with both sides usually getting on the scoresheet. Both teams come into this clash in strong form: Athletic kicked off their league campaign with a win, while Rayo have looked confident both domestically and in Europe. All signs point to an open game with goals on the cards. My pick for this match is over 2 goals, with odds of 1.62.
