Getafe vs Athletic Bilbao

Estadio Coliseum sets the stage for a high-stakes La Liga encounter between European hopefuls Getafe and Athletic Bilbao.

Getafe’s top-flight status will extend to 2024/25, but the hosts can still dare to dream of European football after finishing the previous round six points adrift of seventh-placed Real Betis. Though manager Jose Bordalas insists he doesn’t entertain such lofty ambitions, last weekend’s 3-1 thumping of Almeria maintained those prospects alive, not least because three of Getafe’s final five league games coming on home turf. Bordalas’ men know no fear, no matter who stands on the other side, as evidenced by four unbeaten home games out of five they started as pre-match outsiders this season (W1, D3, L1). That run includes a 1-0 win against Girona and a 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad in their last three home league outings, highlighting the potential for stretching their unbeaten home league streak versus Bilbao to seven games (W1, D5).

In the meantime, Athletic Bilbao’s fourth consecutive La Liga fixture without victory (D2, L2) saw them succumb to a 3-1 defeat at fourth-placed Atletico Madrid last weekend in a match highlighted by racial abuse of Nico Williams. Head coach Ernesto Valverde was furious, yet it failed to mask Bilbao’s faltering attempt to secure Champions League qualification after falling six points behind Atletico. There’s still time to make a late top-four push, and extending an outstanding 19-game unbeaten record against La Liga sides starting this round outside the top seven (W12, D7) could be crucial. Yet, one point won’t do the trick this time, as Los Leones bid to post their first H2H away win against Getafe after four consecutive draws. That’s easier said than done, considering they’ve lost three of their last four away league games (W1).