Athletic vs Sevilla: Prediction, Betting Tips and Match Preview

Athletic Bilbao finally kick off their La Liga campaign this weekend after being forced to sit out the opening round. Several of their stars were delayed returning from international duty following the World Cup, so the Basques have only now been able to assemble a full squad. Sevilla, meanwhile, already have three points in the bag after snatching a dramatic 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano deep into stoppage time. Now they face a trip to San Mamés, a stadium where they haven’t tasted victory since 2023.

Tactical Analysis: Athletic Bilbao

The Lions went unbeaten through their first six preseason fixtures, racking up an eye-catching 25 goals in the process. That tally, however, must be taken with a pinch of salt: the opposition was modest, and 11 of those strikes came against fifth‑tier side Leyoa in a single 11‑0 thrashing. Once the quality of opponents improved, results took a dip. Athletic were beaten 3-1 by Marseille, a result coach Edin Terzić honestly admitted the French side fully deserved. Their final warm‑up against Atalanta ended in a more competitive but still narrow 0‑1 defeat. In short, the team lost their two most meaningful friendlies.

Key departures this summer include Mikel Vesga, a near‑decade‑long servant who featured regularly in the rotation, and Unai Gómez, a versatile option who played 26 La Liga matches last season. Further complications arose from the late return of the club’s World Cup winners: they only underwent medical tests on August 10. Unai Simón did feature against Atalanta, but Aymeric Laporte and Nico Williams were absent from that final friendly. Both are now back in group training, yet they head into the first round with zero preseason minutes under their belts. First‑choice centre‑back Dani Vivian is definitely out, still recovering from an adductor injury, while Ádama Boiro trained separately after the Atalanta game and remains doubtful for the Sevilla clash.

Tactical Analysis: Sevilla

Sevilla’s preseason was largely encouraging. The Rojiblancos played eight matches, winning five inside 90 minutes, losing two, and drawing one—a game they eventually won on penalties. Defensive solidity improved as the season approached: they kept a clean sheet against Utrecht, conceded only once to the attacking‑minded NEC Nijmegen (winning 2‑1), and held Bayer Leverkusen scoreless until the 66th minute before eventually falling 2‑1. In their actual league opener against Rayo, Sevilla were poor for the first half‑hour and quickly fell behind. But they regrouped, stifled the opponent’s creativity, and despite being reduced to ten men late on, snatched a 97th‑minute winner—a display of grit and character.

The summer window saw several important figures leave: Juanlu Sánchez (key right‑sided option), Djibril Sow (starting midfielder), and top scorer Akor Adams (10 La Liga goals last season). Loanee holding midfielder Batista Mendy also returned to his parent club, and experienced heads Alexis Sánchez, César Azpilicueta, and Nemanja Gudelj moved on. Some new arrivals have already made an impact. Jon Guridi scored against Rayo, Roberto Yr won the decisive penalty, and goalkeeper Vlachodimos earned man‑of‑the‑match nods from several outlets. On the downside, debutant Arouna Sangaté’s error led to Rayo’s goal. The club is close to signing Sporting CP midfielder Georgiy Kochorashvili and hopes to register him in time for this fixture. A major absence for the trip to Bilbao is Kike Salas, suspended after his red card against Rayo.

Predicted Lineups

Athletic Bilbao (4-2-3-1): Simón – Areso, Álvarez, Laporte, Berchiche – Galarreta, Jauregizar – I. Williams, Sancet, N. Williams – Sannadi Unavailable: Vivian, Egiluz (both injured), Boiro (doubtful) Coach: Edin Terzić

Sevilla (4-2-3-1): Vlachodimos – J. Iglesias, Sangaté, Castrín, Suaso – Agoumé, Jon Peke – Sierra, Guridi, Vargas – Romero Unavailable: Alfon, Marcão (both injured), Salas (suspended), Ejuke, Pedrosa, Cardoso (all coach’s decision) Coach: Luis García Plaza

Prediction and Bet

Main pick: Athletic Bilbao to win at 1.74

Athletic approach this match with a nearly full squad. The World Cup returnees—Simón, Laporte, and Nico Williams—have been training with the group since August 11. San Mamés provides a formidable backdrop: in three of their last four home league meetings with Sevilla, the Basques have come out on top. Sevilla, by contrast, had a difficult first match against Rayo, needing a 97th‑minute winner to snatch the points, and now travel without first‑choice centre‑back Kike Salas due to suspension. All signs point to a home victory.

Both teams to score: Yes at 2.07

Sevilla have found the net in each of their last five matches across all competitions. Athletic should sharpen their attack now that Nico Williams is available. Last season the two sides exchanged goals in both La Liga meetings, and high‑scoring encounters between them are nothing new. With the hosts’ offensive potential and the visitors’ scoring streak, backing both teams to find the net looks a solid play.