Ath Bilbao vs Qarabag prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2025-10-21 16:45.
[p]Athletic Club will feel they’re in an early do-or-die situation here after losing their first two UEFA Champions League (UCL) league phase games thus far, while Qarabağ are flying high after two wins.[/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]Athletic come into this contest in disappointing form after a 0-0 La Liga draw with Elche at the weekend meant the Basque side have now won just one of their last eight games across all competitions (D2, L5), a run which sees them without a point after two rounds of the UCL league phase. Their 2-0 loss to Arsenal at home in the opening round was their second successive home loss in European football, but such malaise usually doesn’t last long, with Athletic having never lost three consecutive home games in major European competition over a span of 96 matches.[/p]
[p]Setting that new record will be one of the last things on the collective minds of Qarabağ after their astonishing start to this league phase, with their two victories forming part of a six-game winning streak in all tournaments. Their early success in this UCL campaign has come as a surprise considering they had never previously won a match in the UCL proper, but the Horsemen have been galloping in this competition since late July with seven wins from eight matches since the start of the qualifying rounds (L1), including three victories on foreign soil.[/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]This will be the inaugural H2H. Athletic are unbeaten against clubs from Azerbaijan (W1, D1), while Qarabağ have never defeated a Spanish side in five previous attempts (D2, L3).[/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Athletic have won just three of their 14 matches in the UCL proper (D4, L7).[/p]
[p]There have been less than 2.5 goals scored in four of Bilbao’s last five home games in all competitions.[/p]
[p]Just one of Qarabağ’s last five competitive matches saw both teams score.[/p]
[p]Qarabağ have won all seven competitive away games this season despite scoring first in only four.[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]Gorka Guruzeta is Bilbao’s only UCL goalscorer this season, with his strike against Dortmund contributing to six of his last seven goals coming after half-time. Opposing #11 Emmanuel Addai found the net against Copenhagen on matchday two, marking the fourth successive goalscoring appearance where he netted the last goal of a game.[/p]
[p]Ernesto Valverde and his coaching staff have no fresh injuries to be concerned about, while opposing manager Gurban Gurbanov was boosted by the return of Marko Janković at the weekend.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]This is a much tougher task for Qarabağ, but if current form is a leading indicator, backing Qarabağ to avoid defeat here offers tantalising odds.[/p]
[p][i]Author: Peter Stavrinou[/i][/p]