Girona vs Athletic Bilbao – Preview, H2H, Line-ups, Prediction | La Liga 2022-23

Spain's La Liga sets protocols for the return of fans
Spain's La Liga sets protocols for the return of fans

Girona will welcome Athletic Club to Estadio Municipal de Montilivi with both looking for maximum points in the 13th Round of the La Liga season.

Venue: Estadio Municipal de Montilivi (Girona)

Key Statistics

Girona are winless in their last seven games (D3, L4).

They have not kept a clean sheet in La Liga this season.

Cristhian Stuani has now recorded the hosts’ first or only goal on three occasions this season.

Athletic Bilbao 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.

Head to head

In four meetings between both sides, Athletic Club have three wins while Girona have one win.

Latest performances in all competitions

Girona: D-D-L-D-L

Athletic Bilbao: W-L-D-L-D

Girona

After holding Real Madrid to a credible 1-1 draw last time out, Girona will look to enjoy another memorable outing this Friday when they host Ernesto Velverde’s Athletic Bilbao side.

The hosts stunned La Liga and Champions League defending champions last weekend thanks to an 80th-minute penalty goal by Christian Stuani. However, the result extended their winless run in all competitions to seven games (D3, L4), although the last two games in that period have been draws.

They come into this tie sitting one place outside of the relegation zone, albeit with a better goal difference.

Girona will now return home to the Estadi Montilivi, where Girona have earned eight of their ten La Liga (LL) points this season (W2, D2, L2), hoping to record only their second-ever victory against Athletic Bilbao (L3).

However, it is still yet to be seen how Michel’s men will do that given that they have not kept a clean sheet this season. They are already seven points behind their 12-game start to their previous relegation-bound La Liga season (2018/19), and they are already in danger of ending the round in the bottom three spots.

Possible Girona starting line-ups

Paulo Gazzaniga Santiago Bueno, David Lopez, Javier Hernandez, Arnau Martinez, Miguel Gutierrez; Aleix Garcia, Yangel Herrera, Oriol Romeu; Cristhian Stuani, Valentin Castellanos.

Injured: None

Doubtful: Borja Garcia, Ibrahima Kebe

Suspended: None

Athletic Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao ended a run of four games without a win (D2, L2) last weekend when they beat Villarreal 1-0 at home.

A goal from Inaki Williams made the difference on the day, putting them back in the top-four conversation after crashing out of the race due to their poor form in October.

They currently sit in the sixth position, two points behind third-placed Atletico Madrid. And so, they could still end the weekend in the top four if they win this game and other results go their way.

Having already secured their best record at this point of a La Liga season during the 21st century, they will hope to make it two wins in a row as they seek to solidify their place in the top four in the hope that they return to UEFA competition for the first time in six seasons by the end of the campaign.

Meanwhile, with a three-point gap between third and seventh place going into this round, there’s no room for error during this packed schedule.

With their final two La Liga matches before the World Cup break away to Girona and home to Valladolid, they look at both games as key opportunities to possibly take a top-four position into the extended break. Their away record should give them plenty of reason to expect to take points home from this game too, as they come into this round with an unbeaten W2, D2 away league record against bottom-half clubs.

Possible Athletic Bilbao starting line-up 

Unai Simon; Oscar de Marcos, Yeray Alvarez, Inigo Martinez, Yuri Berchiche; Oihan Sancet, Mikel Vesga, Nico Williams; Raul Garcia, Alex Berenguer; Inaki Williams,

Injured: Iker Muniain, Dani Garcia

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Prediction

Girona 1-2 Athletic Club