Two sides that recorded wins in their La Liga openers will now try to continue their successful path. And while Athletic Bilbao had a whole week to rest and prepare, Rayo Vallecano were involved in midweek Conference League action.
Athletic Bilbao Team News
Ernesto Valverde will surely be relieved that his team managed to record a win on their La Liga opener, as it was a close match against Sevilla. Nevertheless, Athletic secured a 3-2 victory, but a worrying aspect of this match for Valverde was surely how his team dropped a 2-0 lead. Yet, despite this unusually shaky defensive display from Bilbao, they did secure the 3 points are now on a 35-game unbeaten streak when they are considered favourites in a fixture. And with another game at San Mamés on the horizon, the possibility to record back-to-back wins at the start of the season looks like a real possibility for the team.
Rayo Vallecano Team News
Rayo Vallecano walked away with a 1-3 away win against Girona on matchday one, but the team did play more than 45 minutes with a numerical advantage. Still, by the time Girona were left with 10 men, Rayo was already 0-2 up. While the start to their season was certainly successful and that is including the 0-1 away win against Neman Grodno in the Conference League qualifiers, Rayo is now tasked with a very difficult trip to Bilbao, where team fail to get anything more often than not. The factor of a midweek fixture, plus the travels associated with it could also play a factor in the upcoming match against Athletic.
Head-to-Head-Games
Bilbao have dominated the recent H2H against Rayo, as Valverde’s side have won the last 4 matchups. Interestingly, Rayo Vallecano last recorded a win over Athletic in 2021 at the San Mamés no less.
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Athletic Bilbao | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | -6 | 20 | LWLWL |
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Rayo Vallecano | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | -2 | 17 | WLDDD |
Athletic Bilbao vs Rayo Vallecano Betting Prediction
My pick for this game is an Athletic Bilbao win. They have had more time to rest and reflect on their shortcomings in the Sevilla game. While Rayo is certainly a capable team, they haven’t fared well in recent H2H matches with Bilbao and the added midweek fixture might also come into play in terms of fatigue.
👉Betting Tip: Athletic Bilbao To Win
🌐Bookmaker: Sportsbet.io
📊Odds: 1.69
Sportsbet.io
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