After the unexpected elimination from the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund, Atletico’s only motivation until the end of the season is the battle for a top-4 spot. And it’s not so simple for Diego Simeone’s team, as Athletic Bilbao is literally breathing down their necks. Currently, Atletico occupies the fourth place, with Athletic trailing by just three points. So, a lot will be decided in their direct encounter. Last weekend, Atletico missed an incredible opportunity to pull away from the club from Bilbao but shockingly lost to Alaves away with a score of 0-2. In their last 5 La Liga matches, the “Colchoneros” have only collected six points.
Regardless of Athletic Bilbao’s final position in the La Liga season, this season for Ernesto Valverde’s team has already been incredibly successful, as they won the Copa del Rey for the first time in 40 years. However, after the triumph in the Copa del Rey, there has been a significant drop in Athletic’s performance. In the last round, the “Lions” played 1-1 at home against the hopeless outsider Granada, and before that, there was a draw with the same score against Villarreal. But due to Atletico’s stumbles, Athletic Club maintains its chances for the top-4.
