Preview: Girona vs Athletic Bilbao – prediction, team news, lineups

Athletic Bilbao will likely be aiming to offer their prime-six hopes a lift once they proceed their La Liga marketing campaign away to Girona on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions are at present tenth within the La Liga table, 5 factors off sixth-positioned Celta Vigo, whereas Girona are fifteenth, six factors forward of the relegation zone.

Match preview

Girona should not out of the equation on the subject of the battle for La Liga survival this season, however they’re in a comparatively robust place, with 31 factors from 27 matches leaving them in fifteenth, six factors forward of 18th-positioned Mallorca.

There are nonetheless 11 matches to play this season, so quite a bit might change, and Girona’s principal subject this season has been their defence, having conceded 43 instances.

Michel’s team will enter this match off the again of a 1-1 draw with Levante, and so they have solely really managed to received certainly one of their final seven La Liga matches, which got here at dwelling to the champions Barcelona in the course of February.

Girona have discovered it tough in entrance of their very own followers this season, solely choosing up 16 factors from 13 matches, which is the third-worst report within the division.

The Catalan outfit have solely ever confronted Athletic on 11 earlier events, and it’s the latter that almost lead the general head-to-head report 5 wins to 4.

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Athletic had been held to a 1-1 draw by Girona within the reverse match earlier this season, whereas they misplaced 2-1 to the Catalan outfit within the corresponding sport in 2024-25.

The Lions have solely really received as soon as towards Girona on their travels, which got here again in March 2019, so it’s removed from an easy project for Ernesto Valverde‘s facet.

Athletic will enter this match off the again of successive defeats, being knocked out of the Copa del Rey on the semi-remaining stage by Basque rivals Real Sociedad, earlier than struggling a 1-0 defeat to Barcelona in Spain’s prime flight final trip.

A troublesome season has left Valverde’s facet in tenth spot within the La Liga desk, some 19 factors off fourth-positioned Villarreal.

Athletic are solely 5 factors behind sixth-positioned Celta Vigo, although, so a European spot this season is actually achievable regardless of their difficulties.

Girona La Liga type:

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Athletic Bilbao La Liga type:

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Athletic Bilbao type (all competitions):

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Team News

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Girona will likely be with out the companies of Juan Carlos, Donny van de Beek, Portu, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Bryan Gil as a consequence of damage issues, whereas skilled attacker Cristhian Stuani faces a late health check forward of the match.

Joel Roca and Alejandro Frances each impressed off the bench within the team’s conflict with Levante final trip and will now come into the facet.

Vladyslav Vanat discovered it powerful within the team’s final match, however the striker has scored 9 instances in La Liga this season, and he’ll proceed within the remaining third of the sector.

As for Athletic, Benat Prados, Unai Egiluz and Nico Williams have been dominated out of the match as a consequence of damage issues, whereas Maroan Sannadi, Aitor Paredes and Unai Gomez are main doubts for the conflict with Girona.

The guests may also be with out the companies of Alejandro Rego, who picked up a milestone yellow card within the team’s defeat to Barcelona final trip.

Athletic boss Valverde is ready to make modifications to the facet that began towards Barcelona, with Yuri Berchiche, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Oihan Sancet and Gorka Guruzeta doubtlessly all being launched into the XI.

Girona doable beginning lineup:

Gazzaniga; Rincon, Frances, Blind, Martinez; Witsel, Beltran; Tsygankov, Lemar, Roca; Vanat

Athletic Bilbao doable beginning lineup:

Simon; Gorosabel, Vivian, Laporte, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; I Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Guruzeta

We say: Girona 1-1 Athletic Bilbao

There has solely been two attracts between these two sides all through historical past, however a type of got here earlier this season, and we’re predicting one other stalemate between Girona and Athletic this weekend.

For information evaluation of the almost definitely outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.