Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
In the previous round, Athletic Bilbao's five-match unbeaten streak ended with a 1:2 defeat against Girona, where they missed two penalties. Facing Espanyol, they have a great chance to return to winning ways.
Athletic Bilbao
Despite the defeat, losing key defender Aitor Paredes due to two yellow cards might not significantly impact Athletic Bilbao since their strength lies in their attack. They’ve only failed to score once this season, which was against Atlético Madrid. In total, they have netted 13 goals in nine matches.
Espanyol
Espanyol stopped their three-match losing streak with a 2:1 win over Real Mallorca, though they recorded just 0.78 xG, suggesting fortune played a part. They have struggled defensively, keeping just one clean sheet, and their attack is underwhelming, scoring nine goals with an xG of 8.4.
Athletic Bilbao vs Espanyol Prediction
Given that Athletic Bilbao won both meetings last season and considering the current form of both teams, it's anticipated that Athletic Bilbao will continue this trend.
