Girona vs Athletic Club Preview

Athletic Bilbao will travel to Northern Catalonia this Friday to face struggling Girona in the 13th Round of the 2022/23 La Liga season.

The hosts welcome their visitors to the Estadio Municipal de Montilivi on the back of a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid. Having held the Champions League and La Liga defending champions to a goalless draw for much of the game, they took the lead in the 80th minute when Christian Stuani converted from the spot.

But Real Madrid levelled the score at the death and could have even won the game but for a controversial VAR call which even Girona coach Michel agreed was wrong.

Regardless of his thoughts on the Madrid game, Michel will be grateful that his side got a valuable point which put them just above the relegation zone on goal difference ahead of this round. However, Girona are winless in their last seven games (D3, L4) and have kept no clean sheets in La Liga this season.

However, they will be buoyed by their return home to the Estadi Montilivi where they have earned eight of their ten La Liga (LL) points this season (W2, D2, L2). They will be hoping to record only their second-ever victory against Athletic Bilbao (L3) who are winless in their last three league away games.

They have scored 20 goals this season. Only Real Madrid and Barcelona (both 29) have scored more goals this season.

The visitors are looking to make it back-to-back league wins after ending a run of four games without a win (D2, L2) last weekend with a 1-0 win over Villarreal at home.

Having already secured their best record at this point of a La Liga season during the 21st century, Ernesto Valverde’s men come into this tie sitting in the sixth position, two points behind third-placed Atletico Madrid.

They are aiming for a top-six finish this season to enable them to return to UEFA competition for the first time in six seasons by the end of the campaign.

However, they know that there is no room for error in the race for the top positions as just three points separate third and seventh positions in the league table.

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

Spanish Primera Liga Table