Athletic Bilbao take on Alaves in La Liga on Sunday evening, with the home side looking to extend their run of five league matches unbeaten. With their opponents only clear of the relegation zone on goal difference alone, it is undoubtedly the hosts who are the favourites for victory at the San Mames Stadium.
Spanish La Liga – San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao – Sunday 7th January – 17:30 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 13/5 at PaddyPower |
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Bilbao
AlavesMatch Preview
Having seen their performances in La Liga improve immensely over recent weeks, Athletic Bilbao take on Alaves this weekend knowing that a win could move them up to the top half of the table. However, opponents Alaves showed signs of improvement during a 1-0 win over Malaga at the end of 2017, it could be a tight affair at the San Mames Stadium. As a result, a stack of bets are expected to be placed on the game in Bilbao. For those who still need some help in making their picks, be sure to check out our top betting tip below. However, let’s first take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
Athletic Bilbao Team News & Form
Bilbao come into this fixture off the back of an impressive 2-0 victory at Real Betis, which was their fifth victory of the campaign to date. However, a lack of goals has certainly hampered their progress, with José Ángel Ziganda’s side having scored just 18 goals from their 17 matches in the Spanish top-flight. Striker Aritz Aduriz has six La Liga goals to his name already, while the likes of Iker Munain and Inaki Williams provide pace in the final third for the home side.
Alaves Team News & Form
Recent wins over Girona, Las Palmas and Malaga have over recent weeks have lifted Alaves out of the bottom three, with head coach Abelardo Fernández undoubtedly looking for an improvement in his teams away performances at the start of the new year. Munir, the striker on-loan from Barcelona, could start in attack for the visitors, while Bojan could also feature once more alongside him. Alaves are yet to draw a single match so far this season, winning five and losing 12.
Head to Head
The two teams have five times in the past, with Alaves having won two of such matches, whilst drawing three times in the process. Alaves earned four points from Bilbao last season, including a 1-0 home win and a goalless draw away from home.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Given their standing in the table and their status as the home team, it comes as little surprise that it Athletic Bilbao who are the narrow favourites for victory with the majority of bookmakers. The home side can be backed at odds of 4/6 with William Hill, however for those looking to back an away win for Alaves, odds of 5/1 can be found with the same bookmaker.
Top Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on there being under 2.5 goals during the 90 minutes, which is available at odds of 8/11 with Ladbrokes.