Fenerbahce vs Ath Bilbao prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-12-10 15:30.
[p]After coming from a goal down to win in Prague near the end of November, Fenerbahçe enter matchday six of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) in 15th place. A spot in the top eight, which would see the Yellow Canaries advance automatically to the round of 16, is not out of the question though, particularly as two of their remaining three league-phase encounters are at home, somewhere they have won 12 of their last 15 European matches (D2, L1).[/p]
[p]This week sees José Mourinho’s side pitched against high-flying Athletic Bilbao, but the Turks have only won two of their 11 H2Hs (L9) against Spanish opposition. Both of those victories at least came in their last two home clashes with La Liga teams, and although Fenerbahçe suffered an Istanbul derby defeat to Beşiktaş on Saturday, that was just their second loss since mid-September (W8, D3).[/p]
[p]Athletic are in even stronger form though and will arrive in Turkey looking to further improve on their impressive run of only one defeat from the start of September onwards (W12, D5). That sequence includes a 2-1 win over Real Madrid earlier this month, as the Lions target a sixth successive victory in all competitions.[/p]
[p]Only goal difference is keeping Athletic off the top of the UEL table, while no side in the competition has a stronger defence, as Ernesto Valverde’s men been breached just twice across five league-phase games. Both of those goals have come in away matches, so Valverde will be wary ahead of this trip, particularly as the Basque outfit have lost on each of their last three visits to Turkey and will return to Istanbul to face Beşiktaş next month.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Youssef En Nesyri has been in red-hot form, contributing to a goal (G7, A2) in nine of his last 11 appearances for club and country, but he will be keen to improve his H2H record against Athletic, which reads only one goal in his last ten matches! Gorka Guruzeta is another striker in fine form, with four goal involvements (G3, A1) across his last six games – a run which includes a goal and an assist in his last UEL encounter.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Fenerbahçe have conceded first in each of their last four UEL matches – but have lost just one of those games (W1, D2). [/p]
[p][i]Written by Tom Penn[/i][/p]