Villareal vs Athletic Bilbao
3rd November 1300hrs
Football – Spain– La Liga
Pick Villareal
Bookmaker Betway
Odds: 10/11 odds taken 2000 GMT, Friday 1 November)
Both Athletic Bilbao and Villareal will be happy with their efforts so far this season and Sunday’s meeting is an opportunity for one of the teams to make it even better by creeping closer to the top four.
Villareal vs Athletic Bilbao Live Stats & Betting Odds
Villareal Preview – Will Villareal bounce back from midweek defeat and get their third way win of the season?
It was a disappointing campaign for Villareal last season but this one has certainly started with more promise. Javi Calleja only took over in January but he’s steering the club in the right direction and he will be targeting a top six finish which would bring with it European football. Calleja will be happy with the overall performance but disappointed when losing 2-1 to Eibar on Thursday. Having gotten back to 1-1 with just a couple of minutes remaining, conceding the winning goal with the last kick of the ball would have been hard to take. Villareal get a chance to bounce straight back from that, though, when hosting Bilbao on Sunday.
Before the defeat to Eibar, Villareal had won three of their previous four league games scoring 10 goals in those three victories – hitting five against Real Betis and four versus Alaves, both of those games at home. They remain unbeaten at El Madrigal this season having drawn their first two matches sharing six goals with Granada and Real Madrid, teams who occupy third and second spot in the table at the moment. The 17 goals they have scored at home means only Barcelona have scored more at their own stadium.
Athletic Bilbao Preview – Can Bilbao take all three points which would lift them above their opponents?
It’s been a really positive start for Athletic Bilbao as they bid to make a charge for the European spots this season. Now 11 matches into the campaign and the Basque club have picked up 16 points with four wins and the same number of draws. It’s a tally which sees Athletic sit only four points off the top four which may be slightly above a realistic goal for them this season, although it looks set to be a very close battle between a number of teams for those Champions League positions. The campaign started in the best possible fashion for Bilbao with that 1-0 victory at home to Barcelona and they have built on that ever since. The 3-0 win over Espanyol in midweek would have been a welcome one, however, having gone five games without a victory and scoring just two goals in that spell.
It’s been away from home where Bilbao have had most of their struggles as they remain without a win after five games. Three straight draws followed by defeats to Celta Vigo and Atletico Madrid mean they travel to Villareal hoping for a much better return.
Key-Facts – Villareal vs Athletic Bilbao
- Villareal are yet to lose at home this season winning three of their five games and scoring 17 goals in total
- Athletic Bilbao will be happy with how things have went overall but are still searching for their first away win this season
- Bilbao have won just once of their last 14 visits to El Madrigal but that did come last year
Villareal v Athletic Bilbao Betting Advice
The incentive for these two teams is obvious as the winner will keep in touch with the top four and continue what has been a promising start. The onus is on Villareal, of course, being at home and they will be looking to remain unbeaten at El Madrigal. The visitors are the joint lowest scorers away from home in La Liga with just two goals in five matches. Conversely, they have the second best defensive record overall, conceding only seven – one more than Atletico Madrid.
Athletic will have their work cut out to get anything, not only because their poor away form but also as they have only won once of their last 14 visits to this stadium. The start that Villareal have made will give them confidence they can get all three points here and they look a good bet to do that. There may not be as many goals in the game as their previous home matches but they can do enough to get the victory.
