After a miserable pre-season, Athletic Club are hoping to get back to winning ways when they host Sevilla on the opening weekend in La Liga.
Ernesto Valverde’s side opted for a really tough pre-season schedule given they are gearing up for Champions League football. However, they found it tough going, losing six straight friendly matches, including three in England against Liverpool and Arsenal.
That’s in complete contrast to last season when they were very strong at the back, and ended with La Liga’s best defensive record, and with only six defeats across the entire campaign.
Sevilla will be hoping that Los Leones take their friendly struggles into the competitive action, but they’ve got many problems of their own. It has been another summer where they’ve barely added to an already weak squad that finished 17th in La Liga last term.
Argentine Matias Almeyda has arrived as their eighth coach in three years, but expectations are not particularly high. Sevilla did at least compete well in pre-season, avoiding defeat in their final five friendlies, although four of those were drawn.
How the bookies view it: Los Leones backed to bounce back
The bookies clearly aren’t reading too much into Athletic’s poor results over the past month. Los Leones are the clear favourites at 11/20 to win this match. You can back the draw at 14/5, while Sevilla are on offer at 9/2.
Recent head-to-head: Low-scoring games the norm
All of the last six meetings between these clubs have served up two or fewer goals. The Basques have had the better of the most recent ones, winning three of the last four, although Sevilla have still managed to win on three of their last six trips to San Mames.
Players to watch: Berenguer to fill the void left by Sancet
With last season’s top scorer Oihan Sancet injured, Alex Berenguer should get an opportunity to be a regular starter in an advanced midfield role, with the Williams brothers on either side of him. The 30-year-old chipped in with six goals and seven assists last term, despite rarely playing the full 90 minutes, and you can back Berenguer to score or assist at 6/4 with bet365.
Predicted Lineups
Sancet is not the only Athletic player sidelined through injury, with Unai Egiluz, Unai Gomez and Benat Prados also out.
Sevilla are still to register a number of new signings and returnees from loans elsewhere, so they’ll be hoping to finalise that before kick-off. They have injury doubts over Loic Bade and Ruben Vargas, while Joan Jordan definitely misses out.
Athletic Club: Simon, Yuri, Paredes, Vivian, Areso, Jauregizar, Ruiz de Galarreta, N. Williams, Berenguer, I. Williams, Guruzeta.
Sevilla: Nyland, Carmona, Salas, Gudelj, Juanlu, Sow, Agoume, Idumbo, Peque, Lukebakio, Romero.
Anything else catch the eye?
Without Sancet, and without a convincing striker, Athletic cannot be relied upon to convert the chances they do create in a game they should have the better of, given the significant limitations in this Sevilla squad.
Therefore, backing under 2.5 goals at 8/11 with Boylesports could be worth considering, a bet that has always landed over the past three seasons whenever these clubs have met. You can also get odds of 12/5 with the same bookmaker for Athletic to win by one.
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