Athletic Club vs Celta Vigo Preview

La Liga resumes this weekend as Athletic Bilbao welcome Celta Vigo to the Estadio San Mamés for Round 13 of the 2023/24 season.

Bilbao come into this tie in good shape having beaten Villarreal 3-2 in their last outing to take their points haul of the season to 21 (W6, D3, L3). That points total represents their best total after 12 games in the 21st century, meaning that Ernesto Valverde’s side are on the verge of even more history with a win here.

They will want to keep the positive mood going as they attempt to break into the top four places.

They currently sit in fifth place and they can reduce the gap between them and fourth-placed Atletico Madrid to one point if they win here.

Winning will require that they are more focused and tight at the back after conceding eight in six league games at home.

However, Celta Vigo will unlikely trouble the hosts’ backline much as the visitors have a poor away record this season. In five trips away from home, Celta Vigo have just one win and one draw, which means their last three away league games have ended in losses.

Athletic’s imposing undefeated record of W6, D3 as favourites this season doesn’t bode well for the languishing Celta who sit in the relegation zone (W1, D4, L7), particularly as they themselves haven’t won a single La Liga match as an underdog this season (D1, L4).

Although Rafael Benítez hasn’t enjoyed his tenure at Celta, he will be hoping for better luck at the San Mames where Celta have lost just once in their last four meetings (W2, D1).

Other fixtures taking place this week in the Spanish Primera Liga:

Spanish Primera Liga Table