Athletic take on the visitors Elche in the round 25 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Friday, February 20th at Estadio San Mamés (Bilbao).
Athletic Bilbao have been a rather unpleasant disappointment lately. The negative contrast is especially noticeable compared to the wide range of successes achieved after the return of Valverde, including a domestic cup triumph (exactly 40 years after the previous one), a Europa League semi-final, and a fourth-place finish in La Liga. That result even secured a return to the Champions League, but the campaign there turned out to be a failure and ended early, with no place in the knockout stage. On the positive side, the Bilbao side have already reached the Copa del Rey semi-finals. However, they lost the first, home leg to local rivals Real Sociedad. Still, Athletic are determined to put things right in La Liga, where they have slipped to mid-table level. Recent league results suggest a modest upward trend, with improved balance and intensity. They managed to beat both Levante and Oviedo in their last two matches, and confidence has slightly recovered. Now they face another newly promoted side, a game that looks like a good opportunity to build momentum.
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Elche have earned promotion to La Liga more than once in recent years. After another relegation, things did not go smoothly at first, but in the summer of 2024 Eder Sarabia was appointed head coach and immediately delivered a convincing promotion. Their start in the top flight was also very solid and encouraging. Recently, however, that early spark has almost completely disappeared. Results have slowed down significantly, and consistency has become a major issue. In the league, Elche are now mostly settling for draws, while in the cup they were eliminated by a strong and experienced opponent, Betis. After another defeat, this time against Real Sociedad, they at least managed to stop the slide with a goalless draw against Osasuna. Even so, the lack of goals and attacking sharpness remains a serious concern.
In 2022, the Basques won both direct encounters. Before Elche were relegated, they managed a win at San Mamés, and after their return to the top flight, the October meeting ended in a 0–0 draw. In reality, even the cup now offers limited chances to fully save the season. That makes a strong league finish all the more important, so the bet is on a home win at San Mamés.
Prediction for the match: Athletic Bilbao to win.
