Athletic Bilbao vs Espanyol Predictions

• Athletic Bilbao have won five of their last eight matches
• Espanyol have only picked up one victory in 11 away league games
• Only one team in the bottom half of the table have beaten Bilbao this season

Bilbao hoping to return to form

Athletic Bilbao’s home form this season has not been that great, winning four and losing four of their ten matches, but they have had some tough fixtures of late at San Mames, losing to Sevilla and Real Madrid.

They actually head into this one having won three of their last five at all venues, while suffering just two defeats in ten matches, both of them to Carlo Ancelotti’s ‘Los Blancos’.

Marcelino García Toral’s side have also regularly defeated sides in the bottom half of the table this season, with Cadiz the only team from eleventh place or below to beat them so far.

Espanyol on a horror run

It is now five games without a win over 90 minutes for Espanyol, who have lost three of their last four, including a surprise 2-1 defeat to struggling Elche.

Vicente Moreno’s side have still only won one away league game, at Valencia at the end of December, suffering six losses in the process.

They head into this one on the back of a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Real Betis and having not kept a clean sheet in eleven games.

On recent form, Athletic Bilbao should win this one, so that is my initial selection, but I expect goals too, picking 2-1 to the hosts as a correct score prediction.