Ath Bilbao vs Espanyol prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2022-09-03 14:15.
Athletic Bilbao’s new La Liga (LL) season is following an eerily similar path to the 2017/18 edition, the last time they opened a new LL campaign with three consecutive clean sheets. On that occasion, their season began with a scoreless draw, a 1-0 win and a multiple-goal victory – just as 2022/23 has following their thumping 4-0 victory at struggling Cádiz.
The key now for manager Ernesto Valverde and his players is to avoid a repeat of the shock 0-1 fourth round loss to relegated Las Palmas that preceded their disappointing 16th-place finish in that season. An unfortunate ankle sprain to legendary forward Iñaki Williams presents a new challenge for Athletic, for his all-time record of 236 consecutive LL appearances may come to an end.
Espanyol will also be feeling a sense of regrettable déjà vu after a third consecutive top-flight season with no wins from their first three outings (D1, L2). It is of no concern yet to new manager Diego Martínez, who is yet to live up to the promise of taking Granada from the Segunda División to consecutive top-half LL finishes. Martínez drew positives and was left feeling “proud” of their 1-3 home loss to Real Madrid, which gives an insight into his humble expectations of their season.
The visitors narrowly held onto their place in LL at the end of 2021/22 despite one of the poorest travelling records of all teams, which now stands at a near-worst W1, D6, L11 as pre-match outsiders since the beginning of last season. That points to a repeat of Espanyol’s last two trips to Athletic, both of which resulted in defeat, and potentially an 11th consecutive league start without victory (D4, L6).
Players to watch: After nailing down victory against Cádiz last round, Álex Berenguer has scored in each of Athletic’s last three LL victories. Joselu has now scored in three of his last four LL appearances for any club, but has failed to make an impact in the opening half hour.
Hot stat: All but one of Athletic’s last ten LL fixtures have seen the half-time result replicated at the final whistle.