Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao meet in a match in the 18th round of La Liga. The match will be played on Saturday, at 15:15, on Wanda Metropolitano.
After a series of five victories in a row in all competitions, the La Liga leader was shamefully eliminated from the Spanish Cup. On Wednesday, Atletico lost 0-1 on the field of Cornella, a team from the 3rd league. Among the players who were on the field for Diego Simeone’s team were Joao Felix, Saul Niguez or Angel Correa. In addition to the humiliating failure, Atletico’s coach lost defender Jose Gimenez, injured in that confrontation.
Athletic appears in this duel after the failure suffered on their own field in front of Barcelona, score 2-3. Inaki Williams (3 ′) and Iker Muniain (90 ′) scored for Marcelino García Toral’s team. It was the 4th defeat suffered by Bilbao at home, this season and the second in a row.
In the current Liga season, Bilbao has the second weakest balance sheet in terms of travel. The team from the Basque Country has a victory, three draws and no less than five defeats in the matches played on foreign soil, with 8 goals scored and 14 conceded. Atletico is at the opposite pole in terms of its own field, with the best record in La Liga, with seven wins and a draw, 19 goals scored and only two conceded. We rely with confidence on the victory of the hosts, but also on a maximum of four goals scored.
Atletico has suffered only one defeat against Bilbao, in the last 16 direct duels in all competitions (13 victories);
The Madrid team occupies the first position in La Liga, with 12 victories, two draws and one defeat;
Atletico also has the strongest defense in the league, with only 6 goals conceded, but also the 3rd best offensive, with 29 goals scored;
Bilbao ranks 9th in the Spanish standings, with the highest number of defeats suffered this season, tied with Real Betis;
Atletico: Oblak – Savic, Felipe, Hermoso – Vrsaljko, Llorente, Koke, Lemar, Carrasco – Correa, Suarez;
Absent: Jose Gimenez (injured);
Coach: Diego Simeone;
Bilbao: Simon – Capa, Nunez, Martinez, Berchiche – de Marcos, Vencedor, Vesga, Muniain – Garcia, Williams;
Absent:
Coach: Marcelino García Toral;
PREDICTION: Atl. Madrid to win @ 1,54
