Football
Atletico Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao Preview: Tips, Odds, and Prediction
Date: 01 March 2025 Venue: Riyadh Air Metropolitano Kick-off (UK Time): 20:00 A huge clash in LaLiga lurks as Atletico Madrid welcome Athletic Bilbao to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium on Saturday, 01 March 2025. Third host fourth in LaLiga in a game that could be crucial to the two teams’ Champions League hopes for next season, so this is certainly going to be a great fixture for LaLiga betting fans to sink their teeth into!
Julian Alvarez//Getty Images
With both teams in third and fourth respectively in Spain’s top flight, it has been an impressive campaign for both outfits. The home team are just a single point off the two leaders tied for first in Barcelona and Real Madrid while the visitors have a four-point buffer on fifth place Villareal.
It was a tight encounter the last time these two squared off in LaLiga back in September. With the game tied at 0-0 for 90 minutes, Angel Correa stole the points for Diego Simeone’s side two minutes into the six minutes of allocated injury time.
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
Here is a breakdown of the pre-match betting odds for Atletico Madrid vs Athletic Club:
- Home: 11/10 (2.10) – 47.6%
- Draw: 9/4 (3.25) – 30.8%
- Away: 13/5 (3.60) – 27.8%
Odds courtesy of Betway, subject to change.
Head-to-Head Record
Atletico Madrid vs Athletic Club
31/08/24 – Athletic Club 0-1 Atletico Madrid
27/04/24 – Atletico Madrid 3-1 Athletic Club
16/12/23 – Athletic Club 2-0 Atletico Madrid
19/02/23 – Atletico Madrid 1-0 Athletic Club
15/10/22 – Athletic Club 0-1 Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid Current Form – DWDDW
Simeone’s side are unbeaten in there previous five fixtures but will want to convert more of their draws into victories. Just two wins and three draws has seen them lose ground on leaders Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Antoine Griezman//Getty Images
Key Players to watch
- Julian Alvarez: The former Manchester City forward has become one of the main men for Simeone’s side. The Argentine forward has recorded nine goals and two assists in 25 LaLiga games this season.
- Antoine Griezmann: The Frenchman is ageing like fine wine at Atletico Madrid. A key cog in the team, the forward has 13 goal contributions for his side in the league this campaign.
- Angel Correa: The Argentine is a solid performer for Rojiblancos. The right-winger has featured 23 times in LaLiga and has four goal contributions to his name.
Atletico Madrid Team News
Pablo Barrios was suspended for their La Liga clash with Valencia but will be available for the visit of Athletic Bilbao and is expected to return to the starting line-up. Koke remains a long-term absentee. Additionally, Javi Galan and Jose Gimenez are set to be recalled by Simeone for the clash.
Athletic Bilbao Current Form – DDWDW
The Basque club are fresh off the back of a 7-1 thumping of bottom-placed Valladolid and are unbeaten in their previous five games. Ernesto Valverde will be pleased with his team’s form after they drew three times and won twice in that period.
Nico Williams//Getty Images
Key Players to watch
- Nico Williams: The Spanish left-winger has burst onto the scene at Bilbao and become one of the most coveted wide players in the world. The 22-year-old has eight goal contributions in 21 games this term.
- Inaki Williams: Inaki Williams has been one of the most consistent performers for Bilbao in recent times. The forward even makes a goal contribution every other game for his side.
- Oihan Sancet: The Bilbao graduate has become a mainstay in the team. The 24-year-old has goals in him and a tally of 13 at this stage in LaLiga is very impressive for the attacking midfielder.
Athletic Bilbao Team News
Alvaro Djalo has an ankle issue and Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta is nursing a hamstring injury. Mikel Vesga and Gorka Guruzeta are both back after returning to the squad against Valladolid
Predicted Line-Ups
Atletico Madrid (4-4-2): Musso, Molina, Gimenez, Le Normand, Galan, Simeone, De Paul, Barrios, Lino, Griezmann, Alvarez
Athletic Club 4-2-3-1: Simon, Gorosabel, Vivian, Yeray, Boiro, Jauregizar, Prados, I. Williams, Sancet, N. Williams, Berenguer
Suggested Bets
Looking for reliable bookmakers for betting? Check out some of these football betting offers from the sportsbooks below!
Both Teams to Score (No): Atletico Madrid have a mean defence and do not concede much at their home ground. (79/100 with Betway)
Both Halves Under 1.5: It will be a tight affair at the Metropolitano, these are two very good teams who are well-drilled defensively. (109/100 with Stake)
Value Bets
Here are some value bets to add to your football betting strategies!
Double Chance and Both Teams to Score (Atletico Madrid/Draw and No): The home team have been very difficult to beat at their fortress and are resolute in defence at the same time. (139/100 with Betway)
Draw: Both these teams have drawn three times each in their previous five games in LaLiga, and with Champions League places to fight for, this could be a cagey affair. (49/20 with Stake)
Atletico Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao Prediction
It will be a tightly contested affair at the Metropolitano on Saturday evening. With Diego Simeone’s team in the title race, they just might edge it here. Bilboa have been excellent all season and have kept pace with the Champions League spots so don’t expect them to go down without a fight.
With a decade of sports writing expertise, Nigel Naicker has crafted compelling content across football leagues like the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, as well as cricket and UFC. A passionate storyteller since 2014, Nigel joins the SportsBoom team, ready to deliver insightful narratives across various sports disciplines.
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