Athletic Bilbao take on the visitors Real Sociedad in the round 20 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Saturday, January 13th at Estadio San Mamés (Bilbao).
Athletic Bilbao are historically a football powerhouse in Spain. However, recent reasons for pride have been few. Marcelino started his coaching tenure with a victory in the Supercopa, but thereafter, the club struggled in La Liga and lost two Copa del Rey finals. Last season, under Valverde's return, they finished eighth in La Liga and reached the cup semi-final, losing to Osasuna. However, this season, Ernesto Valverde is finally meeting expectations, especially since November. Winning six out of the last eight matches, including a 2-0 victory over Atletico Madrid, they have equalized with the mattress-makers in La Liga, formally moving Madrid's giant down to the fourth position. They also had no problems in the cup against Eibar, winning 3-0.
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Real Sociedad are losing ground compared to the previous season. The team had a remarkable season last year, finishing fourth in La Liga and returning to the Champions League after a long absence. They also won the Copa del Rey, defeating Athletic Bilbao in the final. In the Champions League, they performed well, finishing first in their group, which included the finalist from the previous cycle, Inter Milan. However, in La Liga, they are currently behind not only the surprise package Girona but also Athletic Bilbao. While they have few losses (3) in almost two dozen matches, they have as many draws as victories, both totaling eight. They shared points four times in the last five league matches, drawing 0-0 with Betis and Cadiz, and tying 1-1 with Osasuna at home and Alaves with a goal in the 6th minute of added time. They progressed in the Copa del Rey by defeating Malaga with a sole own goal.
Head-to-head encounters after the mentioned cup final resulted in two 1-1 draws in 2021. However, in the last four consecutive matches, the team hosting the encounter emerged victorious. In late September, Athletic Bilbao won 3-0 at Anoeta. The Basque derby should stay with the hosts, who have all the advantages. We recommend betting on the victory of Ernesto Valverde's team at San Mames.
Prediction for the match: Athletic Bilbao to win.
