Slavia Prague vs Athletic Bilbao Predictions

• Slavia Prague have failed to score in their last three Champions League games
• Athletic Bilbao have failed to score in two of their four Champions League games this season
• Athletic won 1-0 when these sides met in the Europa League 13 months ago

Athletic Club will respect Slavia

Ernesto Valverde is likely to give Slavia Prague plenty of respect when he takes his Athletic Bilbao side to the capital of Czechia for a tough Champions League assignment on Tuesday. Valverde will need no reminder of how his side were second best to Slavia in a home Europa League game just over a year ago, scraping a fortunate 1-0 win thanks to a Nico Williams goal.

That was a pre-injury Williams who had been playing at a high level for a while, but the Spain international has been a shadow of his former self for the past few months as he struggles with a groin injury.

The winger is starting to run with a bit more freedom again now and looks likely to start at Fortuna Arena this week as Valverde’s side look to close the gap to the top-24 places that would ensure progression to the playoffs.

Clash could remain competitive for a while

Slavia lie in a lowly 30th place after taking just two points from draws against Atalanta and Bodo/Glimt. They were nowhere near good enough to get anything in 3-0 thrashings by Inter and Arsenal in their other games.

Jindřich Trpišovský’s side are not up against a team as classy as the Nerazzurri or as dangerous as Arsenal here, so could be competitive for a while before the Basque outfit’s superior technique and temperament get them in front.

Slavia are solid in defence and have an outstanding keeper in Jindrich Stanek, so it could be worth backing fewer than 2.5 goals in the game with a smaller wager on a 1-0 win for the visitors.