Athletic Bilbao vs Getafe
Athletic Bilbao vs Getafe Preview
San Mames on a Sunday afternoon should be the kind of occasion that gets Athletic Bilbao going. Passionate crowd, home comforts, a chance to put a rough patch right. But this Lions side have made hard work of this season so far, and Getafe are exactly the sort of team that will make life difficult if Athletic are not at it from the first whistle. Two sides sitting in the bottom half, both searching for some kind of rhythm, and a fixture that has the look of a proper grind written all over it.
Athletic come into this having collected just three points from their last four league games. They were well beaten by Levante last time out, going down 3-1 and losing a man to a red card in the process. For a club that finished 12th last season and clearly needs to be pushing higher this time around, that kind of result stings. Edin Terzic will know his side cannot afford another slip up here. Nine points from eight matches is not the platform they were hoping to build on.
Getafe are in no better shape, sitting 15th with nine points of their own from nine outings. Jose Bordalas brought this club to seventh last season, and the expectation was they would push on. That has not happened yet. To make things worse, they came back from a horrible Thursday night in European football, shipping five goals to Lugano in the Conference League. That kind of result midweek does nothing for confidence, and with squad rotation guaranteed to be part of the conversation, it adds another layer of uncertainty going into Sunday.
Athletic Bilbao vs Getafe Form
Athletic’s numbers this season do not flatter them. Two wins, three draws and three defeats in La Liga tells the story of a side that simply cannot find any sustained momentum. Their last league win came in early September, a 3-0 home demolition of Atletico Madrid, which at the time looked like a sign of things to come. Instead it has been followed by four matches without a victory. Three of those were draws, which at least showed some defensive resilience, before Levante came to town and made them look very ordinary indeed. Being reduced to ten men did not help, but the scoreline suggested Athletic had problems well before that sending off.
Getafe’s form is patchy at best. Two wins, three draws and four defeats in La Liga means they have lost more games than they have won so far. The draw with Rayo Vallecano was not a terrible result, but it was not exactly a sign of a team building towards something either. The Conference League defeat to Lugano is tough to overlook as well. Five goals conceded at home points to a backline that is not functioning the way Bordalas would want. The silver lining, if there is one, is that Getafe are expected to rotate heavily for this game, meaning fresher legs in key areas of the pitch.
Between the two sides, neither is playing with any confidence right now. Athletic have had the longer break from European football this week, which is a small but genuine advantage. Getafe have the psychological hangover of that Lugano result to shake off before a ball is kicked. The form across the board points to a low-scoring, attritional contest rather than a game full of chances and cutting edge.
Athletic Bilbao vs Getafe Head to Head
The history between these two clubs reinforces the idea that Sunday will be tight. In their last ten meetings, Getafe have only lost twice, but six of those games have ended level. That is a remarkable pattern, and it says a lot about how evenly matched these sides tend to be when they face each other. Athletic did win 3-0 at home against Atletico earlier this season, but against Getafe specifically, clean dominance is rare. Last season Getafe won both league encounters against Athletic, including a 1-0 victory right here at San Mames. That result will not have been forgotten.
The fact that Athletic are at home gives them a marginal edge in terms of expectation, but the head-to-head record offers Bordalas’ side genuine encouragement. Getafe know how to frustrate Athletic on their own patch. The sheer volume of draws in recent meetings between these clubs makes the draw market one that deserves serious attention.
Athletic Bilbao vs Getafe Lineups
Athletic go into this without Aymeric Laporte, who picked up a red card against Levante and serves his suspension here. Losing your most experienced centre-back is never ideal, and whoever steps in will face a test against Getafe’s physical approach. On top of that, Gorka Guruzeta, Oihan Sancet and Unai Egiluz remain out through injury, while Alvaro Djalo is a doubt after illness. The good news for Athletic is that Nico Williams and Inaki Williams are both expected to be recalled to the starting eleven after coming off the bench last time out. That is a significant boost going forward. The expected lineup looks to be: Simon; Rincon, Alvarez, Paredes, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; Berenguer, Navarro, N Williams; I Williams.
Getafe also have suspension problems, with Djene Dakonam missing after his red card against Rayo. That weakens their defensive options, particularly at a ground like San Mames where you need everyone pulling their weight at the back. Bordalas is expected to ring the changes following Thursday’s European nightmare, bringing Martin Satriano, Enes Unal, Ramon Terrats and Nemanja Gudelj back into the side. Dani Carvajal starts again at right-back. The expected eleven looks like: Soria; Carvajal, Abqar, Valou, Mojica; Femenia, Gudelj, Martin, Satriano; Terrats, Unal. The freshness of several returning starters could make a difference in the second half if the game stays close.
Athletic Bilbao vs Getafe Tactics
Athletic under Terzic tend to press high and use the width of the pitch, with the Williams brothers crucial to stretching backlines and creating space in behind. When they are both starting and sharp, Athletic look a completely different proposition going forward. The issue this season has been that the press has not been sustained enough, and when it breaks down, they have looked vulnerable. Without Laporte organising from the back, there is a concern about how well they hold their defensive shape if Getafe hit them on the counter. Getafe are well set up to do exactly that.
Bordalas has spent years perfecting a low-block, hard-working defensive setup that invites pressure and looks to punish transitions. Even without Djene, Getafe will be difficult to break down. Unal is the focal point up top, and with Terrats and Satriano offering movement around him, they are capable of hurting Athletic if there is space to run into. The tactical battle is likely to see Athletic dominate possession while Getafe sit in and try to nick something on the break. It is a setup that has produced draws against Athletic repeatedly in recent history, and there is every reason to think Sunday follows a similar script.
Athletic Bilbao vs Getafe Prediction and Betting Tips
Everything here points to a game that stays tight. Neither side is in great form, both are dealing with suspensions at the back, Getafe have the midweek European fatigue in their legs, and the head-to-head between these clubs screams draw. Athletic have the home advantage and the Williams brothers back in the side, which is their best attacking threat, but Getafe are built to frustrate and they are very good at it. A 1-1 looks like the most likely outcome, with both sides finding the net once but neither able to close it out.
The tip here is the draw. Six of their last ten meetings have ended level, Athletic are low on confidence and missing key players, and Getafe know exactly how to set up and make life difficult here. Back the draw in the Match Result market.