La Liga preview and odds: Sevilla vs Athletic Bilbao

Published on: 07/01/2016

La Liga preview and odds: Sevilla vs Athletic Bilbao

January 09, 2016 17:15pm - Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan

La Liga

Sevilla will try to get their league campaign back on track on Saturday when they face sixth-ranked Athletic Bilbao at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in La Liga.

Sevilla stronger at home

Thanks to their poor away form, Sevilla remain in ninth place in the league table, ten points adrift of the coveted Champions League places. Last time out, Unai Emery´s men fell 2-1 away from home to Andalucian rivals Granada, and missed the opportunity to climb into sixth place in the table. It was their first league defeat in five games.

Los Rojiblancos have yet to win a league game away from home but have won seven in a row on home soil. In addition, they have kept clean sheets in four of their last five games at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Athletic in good ahape

After an poor start to the season, Athletic Bilbao have enjoyed steady improvement in La Liga and now sit in sixth place in the table - the first Europa League qualification spot. Athletic Club have lost just twice in their last 13 league matches, with both defeats coming away from home at Atletico Madrid (2-1) and Granada (2-0).

In their last league game, they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Las Palmas. They followed that with a 3-2 win in the first leg of their Copa del Rey clash with Villarreal in midweek.

Team news

The home side will be without the suspended Adil Rami, while Gael Kakuta, Marco Andreolli, Beto and Nicolás Pareja are all out injured.

Meanwhile, the visitors will be without Bóveda and Ibai for the trip to the south of Spain.

Recent form (League)

Sevilla: LWDWD

Athletic Bilbao: DWWLD

Betting odds and tips

Sevilla have been poor on the road this term but their home record is impressive. During their run of seven straight home wins they have defeated Barcelona, Real Madrid and Valencia, scored 18 goals and conceded just five. The home side can be backed at 21/10 with Bet365.

By Neil Morris

Published on: 07/01/2016

Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (07/01/2016 17:01:39) but are subject to change.