Athletic Bilbao Faces Last-Place Valladolid in Crucial La Liga Match

BILBAO, Spain – Athletic Bilbao will look to maintain their strong push for a top-four finish in La Liga on Sunday when they host Real Valladolid, who currently sit at the bottom of the league table. The match is set to kick off at 1 p.m. GMT at San Mames stadium.

With 14 matches left in the season, Athletic Bilbao finds themselves in fourth place, four points ahead of fifth-placed Villarreal. They are also just six points off league leaders Barcelona, but the primary goal remains securing a top-four finish after they last achieved this during the 2013-14 season.

So far this season, Athletic boasts an impressive record of 12 wins, nine draws, and three losses, accumulating 45 points. The Basque club has remained unbeaten in their last 15 league matches, with their only loss since the start of October occurring against Girona.

Despite their recent success, Athletic has drawn three of their last four matches, including a 1-1 draw against Espanyol in their last game. Head coach Ernesto Valverde is looking for improvements as the team prepares for a crucial matchup against Real Valladolid.

Bilbao has the third-best home record in La Liga this season, having secured 25 points from 12 matches at San Mames. In stark contrast, Real Valladolid has struggled on the road, managing to collect only three points from their 12 away fixtures.

Real Valladolid arrives in Bilbao following a disheartening 4-0 home defeat to Sevilla, marking their fifth straight loss in La Liga. In December, the club appointed new head coach Paulo Pezzolano, who has now taken the reins following the dismissal of his predecessor after just eight games.

Valladolid’s record this season stands at four wins, three draws, and an alarming 17 defeats, leaving them eight points adrift of safety. Their struggles are further highlighted by the worst offensive record in the league, with only 15 goals scored, and a defensive record that has seen them concede 52 times.

In their previous encounter earlier this season, Valladolid managed to hold Athletic to a 1-1 draw, but the last time they traveled to San Mames, they were overwhelmed 3-0.

In terms of team news, Athletic will be without players like Iñigo Martínez due to an ankle injury, and Asier Villalibre is also expected to miss due to a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Valladolid will welcome back defender José Ángel after serving a suspension but will be missing key players due to similar infractions.

On their side, Valladolid must seek a turnaround in their form to avoid relegation, making this match a critical one not just for Athletic’s ambitions but for their survival in La Liga.