The Matchday 6 La Liga encounter between Athletic and Girona will be held on September 23 at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao. Athletic vs. Girona: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Athletic
The team started the current league season with three consecutive victories, but then experienced a downturn, resulting in defeats to Alaves and Valencia. In both losses, Athletic failed to score, leading to a drop from 2nd to 7th in the standings. Notably, the Basque side's uncompromising streak in La Liga has reached nine matches (6 wins, 3 losses).
- Athletic has scored in 15 of their last 19 home games in La Liga.
- No more than 2 goals have been scored in 14 of the team's last 18 league matches.
- The Basques have remained unbeaten in 17 of their last 19 home La Liga games (12 wins, 5 draws).
Predicted lineup for Athletic (4-2-3-1)
Unai Simon – Yuri Berchiche, Daniel Vivian, Jesus Areso, Aitor Paredes – Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Mikel Haurregui – Oihan Sancet, Robert Navarro, Alex Berenguer – Inaki Williams.
Goalkeeper Alex Padilla and defender Daniel Vivian will miss the match due to suspension. For the same reason, head coach Ernesto Valverde will not be able to lead the team from the sidelines. Defender Yeray Alvarez is suspended for 10 months for doping. Forward Nico Williams is sidelined for up to 6 weeks due to injury.
Girona
The Catalans remain one of the few teams yet to secure a victory in the current La Liga season. After five rounds, the club has earned just one point, placing them at the bottom of the table. Their weak defensive play is noteworthy: Girona has conceded 15 goals in total, the worst record in the tournament. Additionally, the club's winless streak in La Liga now stands at seven matches (1 draw, 6 losses).
- Girona has conceded in their last seven league matches.
- In the current La Liga season, the Catalans have scored a total of 2 goals – only Oviedo has fewer (1).
- At least 4 goals have been scored in 5 of Girona's last 7 league matches.
Predicted lineup for Girona (4-5-1)
Paulo Gazzaniga – Alex Moreno, Vitor Reis, Arnau Martinez, Daley Blind – Axel Witsel, Ivan Martin, Joel Roca, Azzedine Ounahi, Yaser Asprilla – Vladyslav Vanat.
Main defender Vitor Reis and midfielder Axel Witsel are suspended. Another midfielder, Viktor Tsygankov, is recovering from injury.
Referee
Jose Luis Munuera (Spain)
Matches – 21 (La Liga, 2024/2025–2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 99;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.7;
Red cards shown – 4;
Average fouls per match – 25;
Penalties – 29%.
Match Prediction: Athletic vs. Girona
Girona is undoubtedly the worst team in the league after the first five rounds, as even head coach Michel admitted. However, amidst the gloom, it's noticeable that the Catalans often perform better away from home. Yes, there are occasional setbacks, but in 5 of their last 6 away matches in La Liga, the team has not lost by more than one goal. In head-to-head encounters with Athletic, Girona has not lost in 4 of the last 6 La Liga games (3 wins, 1 draw), and in 8 of the last 9 matches in this tournament, the Catalans have won with a handicap (+1.5).
Athletic didn't drop points in the first three rounds of La Liga, but even then, the team lacked resilience: Ernesto Valverde's side won all matches by the narrowest of margins. Afterward, the Basques slowed down, suffering two defeats without scoring. The club's streak without major victories in La Liga has reached 18 matches, and only in 2 games has Athletic won by a two-goal margin.
In this matchup, Girona is rightly considered the underdog, but I expect them to hold their ground and challenge Athletic. Prediction – Girona with a handicap (+1.5)
