Football NewsLa Liga: Celta Vigo Vs Athletic Bilbao – Match preview
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The Sky Blues return to the Estadio de Balaidos needing a change in fortune, but after seeing three 1-1 draws and two 2-1 losses in their last five home matches, the home faithful might not be so optimistic.

Celta Vigo

Celta Vigo’s precarious position in La Liga needs serious attention, with their 1-0 loss to Mallorca last time out firmly entrenching them in the relegation battle. Problems all over the park plague Carlos Carvalhal’s men, but failing to score two or more goals in each of their last 14 top-flight matches hasn’t complimented their leaky defence, as only basement club Elche have conceded more than Celta’s 29 this season ahead of the round. The Sky Blues return to the Estadio de Balaídos needing a change in fortune, but after seeing three 1-1 draws and two 2-1 losses in their last five home matches, the home faithful might not be so optimistic. The arrival of visitors Athletic Bilbao will only accentuate the nerves, as Celta have only tasted success twice in the last 13 home La Liga H2H encounters.

Athletic Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao aren’t in the greatest form either as they await their first league win since the FIFA World Cup hiatus, driven by their inability to score in three of those matches. European aspirations will start to fade should this form continue, but if Athletic can reproduce their Copa del Ray performances, where they’ve won all of their four matches since the restart, then they’ll be a severe threat. The latest of those triumphs was a 3-1 away win against Valencia in midweek. Still, it is their troublesome trend of failing to win any of their last six La Liga assignments on the road that’ll worry manager Ernesto Valverde. Valverde may hope to draw on his outstanding personal H2H record then, as his 26 managerial meetings against Celta have only ever ended in defeat on four occasions.

 

Celta’s Iago Aspas is just two goals away from becoming the only player to score 10 goals in each of the last eight La Liga seasons. For Athletic, Inaki Williams scored the lone goal in this fixture last season, and with four of his league strikes this season serving as match openers, he’ll hope to threaten once again. Celta are winless in their seven La Liga matches this season when considered the betting underdogs.