Ath Bilbao vs Mallorca prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2025-03-08 17:30.
[p]It’s been a tough week for Athletic Club, who suffered their first La Liga defeat since October against Atlético Madrid last Saturday before conceding in stoppage time to lose to Roma in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday. While morale may have been dented by those results, the Lions remain inside La Liga’s top four, sitting four points clear of Villarreal in fifth pre-round, although they have played a game more.[/p]
[p]Ernesto Valverde’s men are likely to be confident of rediscovering their form here against a Mallorca side they have avoided defeat against in each of the last six H2Hs (W2, D4). Athletic have also gone unbeaten in the last seven La Liga meetings on home soil (W6, D1), and as they have avoided defeat in each of their last ten league matches at San Mamés (W7, D3), they start as favourites here.[/p]
[p]After a miserable start to 2025 (L5), Mallorca have at least become hard to beat, avoiding defeat in their last four matches (W1, D3). The Pirates start the round inside the top eight and on course for their best La Liga finish since 2011/12, yet their European bid could have looked so much stronger had they not given up the lead in recent draws against both Osasuna and Alavés.[/p]
[p]Having scored just six times in nine matches across all competitions this calendar year, it’s clear that boss Jagoba Arrasate will be targeting improvements in forward areas. A trip to the Basque country looks unlikely to be the ideal destination for immediate progress, as Mallorca have failed to win any of their last eight La Liga trips to the region (D2, L6), with that run including seven failures to score.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Iñaki Williams’ opener at Roma may not have earned Athletic victory, but the forward’s seven previous goalscoring appearances this season all ended in victory. Takuma Asano finally got his first goal for Mallorca last Sunday against AlavĂ©s – he last scored in successive club matches in the same season back in April 2021![/p]
[p]Hot stat: The home team on the day has not conceded before half-time in Mallorca’s last nine matches. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Alex Bowmer[/i][/p]