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We have a meeting between two of last season’s top five in La Liga. Girona have since endured a difficult summer transfer window, though, whilst Athletic are looking to build towards something very special this season.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 6th October, 2024 - UK – 1:00pm / US ET – 8:00am / US PT – 5:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so Girona vs Athletic Bilbao may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN+
GIRONA PREVIEW: RELIANCE ON MICHEL
Girona come into this one on the back of a 3-2 defeat at home to Feyenoord in their second match of the league phase of the UEFA Champions Lague. David Lopez had given them the lead after 19 minutes before Feyenoord turned the game on its head. Donny van de Beek had equalised for Girona but a Ladislav Krejci own goal gave the Dutch side three points.
That means they are now winless in their last six matches across all competitions since. Michel remains the key man in charge of Girona as they seek to rebuild after a second successive summer in which they sold off a few key players. Key men such as Aleix Garcia, Savio and Artem Dovbyk were sold this summer.
ATHLETIC BILBAO PREVIEW: THE UEL DREAM
Unlike Girona, Athletic Club were able to keep hold of their star talents with both Oihan Sancet and Nico Williams remaining in the Basque Country. Ernesto Valverde’s side will be looking to genuinely compete for a top four or five place and UEFA Champions League qualification this season as well as reach the UEFA Europa League final, which will be held at their home ground of San Mames.
Athletic come into this one on the back of a comfortable 2-0 defeat of AZ Alkmaar in their most recent outing at the San Mames with goals from Oihan Sancet and Inaki Williams, meaning they are now unbeaten in six matches across all competitions.
GIRONA TEAM NEWS: INJURIES FOR GIRONA
Due to their decimation in the summer, Girona do have a fairly small squad with limited options that have been added to by the absence of former Netherlands international Daley Blind.
As well as Blind, they will also have to deal without the experience of defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu as well as Ukrainian attacking midfielder Viktor Tsygankov.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga; Frances, Lopez, Krejci, Gutierrez; Martin, Van de Beek; Gil, Herrera, Danjuma; Ruiz
UNAVAILABLE: Blind (Injured), Artero (Injured), Romeu (Injured), Tsygankov (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Garcia (Injured)
ATHLETIC BILBAO TEAM NEWS: THIRD CHOICE ‘KEEPER
Last week, Julen Agirrezabala was sent off in Athletic’s 1-1 draw against Sevilla so, with Unai Simon still injured, third-choice goalkeeper Alex Padilla will be in net for Valverde.
As well as those two absentees, Athletic are now once again without key defender Yeray Alvarez alongside defensive midfielder Benat Prados due to respective injuries.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Nunez, Paredes, Lekue; Jauregizar, Vesga; N. Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; I. Williams
UNAVAILABLE: Agirrezabala (Suspended), Simon (Injured), Yeray (Injured), Prados (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
GIRONA VS ATHLETIC BILBAO PREDICTION
Both of these sides have been talked up as the most entertaining teams too watch in La Liga in the last 12 months or so and there is even more reason to believe that with Girona trying to rediscover that chaos factor that made them so good to watch last season, whilst Athletic have some real stars on their hands at the moment. Both teams scoring and a really entertaining encounter seems quite likely for this one in Catalonia.
GIRONA VS ATHLETIC BILBAO TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE & OVER 2.5 GOALS