Athletic Bilbao vs Alavés – News and Probable Lineups

San Mames is set to stage a Basque derby on Saturday afternoon, with Athletic Bilbao welcoming rivals Alaves as they pursue their La Liga ambitions.

Athletic has secured seven points from their first five matches this season, placing them ninth in the La Liga standings, while Alaves occupies the sixth spot with a total of 10 points.

Match overview

Athletic was supposed to face Levante in Spain’s premier division on Wednesday; however, the game was called off due to heavy rain in Valencia, which rendered the pitch unplayable.

Consequently, the Lions have not played since their 1-1 draw with Elche last Saturday; Edin Terzic’s team holds a record of two victories, one draw, and two losses from their five league encounters this season, leaving them ninth in the table with seven points.

Athletic began their campaign with consecutive defeats against Sevilla and Barcelona but bounced back with wins over Celta Vigo and Atletico Madrid before the draw with Elche.

The Red and Whites finished in 12th place in Spain’s top tier last term, indicating that there is significant room for improvement this season.

Athletic currently leads the overall head-to-head record against Alaves, having emerged victorious in 35 of the 53 meetings between the two teams while losing only nine times.

Last season, Alaves secured a 1-0 victory over Athletic in the equivalent match at San Mames, marking their first win over the Lions since October 2020.

The visitors have had a strong start to the season, recording three wins, one draw, and two defeats from their first six matches, placing them sixth on the table with 10 points.

Quique Sanchez Flores’ squad gathered 10 points from their initial four fixtures, including victories over Getafe, Villarreal, and Osasuna but have suffered defeats in their last two matches against Racing de Santander and Valencia.

Alaves aims to avoid a third consecutive loss in this game, with several positive indicators emerging early in the season.

El Glorioso finished 14th in Spain’s top flight last season and is currently in their fourth consecutive term in La Liga, having only experienced one season at a lower level since 2016-17.

Team News

Athletic will once again be missing Dani Vivian, Gorka Guruzeta, Peio Canales, and Unai Eguiluz due to injuries.

Inaki Williams is also doubtful as he was substituted late in the game against Elche due to an ankle injury.

Nico Williams has found the net only once in La Liga this season, but he showed promise in the last match against Elche and is expected to operate on the left flank again.

Alaves, on the other hand, will be without Mikel Rodriguez, who is sidelined with a long-term knee injury.

Aitor Manas is also uncertain to participate due to an injury that prevented him from playing against Valencia.

There might be a change in Alaves’s midfield for this match, with Carles Alena likely to start, which could see Abde Rebbach moving to the substitutes’ bench.

Athletic Bilbao probable starting XI:

Simon; Areso, Alvarez, Laporte, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; Navarro, Sancet, N Williams; The Williams

Alaves probable starting XI:

Sivera; Tenaglia, Koski, Valentini; Perez, Ibanez, Blanco, Alena, Suarez; Boye, Martinez

This clash is difficult to predict, as Alaves has been performing well this season. Nevertheless, it is anticipated that Athletic will find a way to secure all three points in this fixture.