Ath Bilbao vs Barcelona prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2024-03-02 20:00.
Sure to be on a high after securing their spot in the Copa del Rey final in midweek with a thumping 4-0 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid, Athletic Bilbao make a triumphant return to La Liga action looking to down another of the league’s big-hitters. The prospects of doing that to Barcelona would appear slim based on recent meetings between the sides, as Athletic have failed to win any of their last eight La Liga matches against the Catalan giants (D1, L7).
Hope springs eternal that they can break that winless run at San Mamés, where Athletic have won a remarkable ten games in a row in all competitions and haven’t tasted defeat in La Liga since the opening day of the campaign (W10, D2). Within that winning run is a 4-2 Copa del Rey victory over Barcelona, and a similar glut of goals wouldn’t be a great surprise given Athletic have scored at least twice in 14 of their last 15 San Mamés runouts.
That makes this trip a daunting prospect for anyone, but you could argue that of any side in La Liga, Barcelona are currently best-placed to topple it given they arrive on the back of four successive away league wins. Those wins have helped root Xavi’s side firmly within the top-four, and with Athletic sitting in fifth place, this serves as a huge opportunity to make their cushion to the chasing pack more comfortable.
Finishing within those Champions League places is now the only realistic league ambition for Barça who, barring a catastrophic slip-up from league leaders Real Madrid, are seemingly out of the title race. They’ll undoubtedly still fight on, and they appear good value to keep the pressure up here, having gone unbeaten on their last 14 league visits to the Basque Country to face any of the teams in this region (W11, D3), although their last such defeat was at this venue in August 2019!
Players to watch: A man for home comforts, Athletic’s Gorka Guruzeta closed the scoring in midweek Copa del Rey action, but he’s interestingly scored five game opening home goals this term. Expect a late showing İlkay Gündoğan, who has seen his last four club goals arrive after the break.
Hot stat: No La Liga side has led more games at half-time this season than Athletic (13).