It was a tough weekend for Athletic Bilbao, whose six-game unbeaten streak in La Liga came to a dramatic end with a 0-3 defeat in the Basque derby against Real Sociedad. Coach Ernesto Valverde believed it was a closely fought match, despite the result, explaining that his team wasn’t as “decisive” and “clinical” in front of the goal as their opponents. As a result, they now find themselves three points behind where they were at the same stage of the 2022/23 season when they finished in eighth place. The chances of returning to that position seem high as the “lions” haven’t lost at home since a 0-2 defeat to Real Madrid in August. Valverde’s team has scored nine goals in these three matches, which is a significant improvement after failing to score in six of their previous eight home La Liga games. Today, Gomes, Nolaskoain, and Ruis de Galarreta will be unavailable due to muscle injuries.
Ending a five-game losing streak in away matches seems unlikely at best for Almeria, considering that they are still the only team that has not won a single game in the league this season. In this season, the guests have conceded at least twice in all games except one, and they can’t seem to find inspiration even after a 3-0 halftime lead against fellow relegation contender Granada in the last round, which ended in a 3-3 draw. The key area for improvement is discipline for the “Red and Whites,” as they became the first La Liga team in the 2023/24 season to concede two penalties in multiple matches. Their performance on the road is no better: the “rojiblancos” have conceded in each of their last five away games, although they may take some pride in the fact that they have scored in every away match. Today, Robertson, Gonzalez, Montes, Sviderkiy, Pabill, and Suarez are sidelined due to injuries. More all today football match predictions can be obtained from the link provided.
