Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
Athletic Bilbao's unbeaten run came to an end on Sunday with a narrow 1:0 away loss to Real Madrid, but that result is unlikely to derail their pursuit of a top-four finish in La Liga. The upcoming fixture against Las Palmas will challenge their disciplined, compact approach.
Athletic Bilbao
By Matchday 33, Athletic Bilbao had conceded just 26 goals — the best defensive record in the Spanish top division. Their clash with Real Madrid marked the 19th time this season that a match ended with Total Under 2.5 goals, a statistic surpassed by only four other sides in the league. At home, Athletic Bilbao have been nearly perfect, collecting 33 points from 16 matches, and they are expected to take control against a lower-ranked opponent.
Las Palmas
On Saturday, Las Palmas pulled off one of the most surprising results of the weekend in European football with a 1:0 win over Atlético Madrid, effectively ending Atlético Madrid's title hopes. That victory lifted Las Palmas out of the relegation zone, now sitting just one point above 18th-placed Deportivo Alavés. On the road, the team has played under Total Under 2.5 goals in three of their last four matches. Furthermore, in terms of expected goals (xG), the team ranks among the bottom four in La Liga, with just 33.86 xG accumulated across 32 fixtures.
Athletic Bilbao vs Las Palmas Prediction
Since the start of the 2017/18 season, Athletic Bilbao and Las Palmas have met five times, with only one of those matches featuring over 2.5 goals. In Bilbao, neither team is expected to push the tempo — both favour a reactive style over controlling possession.
