The Spanish La Liga goes on this midweek, and on Wednesday, September 20th, 2017, we’ll have a chance to watch two exciting games. Atletico Madrid will visit Athletic Bilbao at San Mames in one of the true derbies of the fifth round, while Leganes and Girona will lock horns at Estadio Municipal de Butarque.
We hope these two clashes will bring some thrilling football, and for successful betting predictions, we would like to take a closer look at these four teams. Don’t forget to check out other previews of the Spanish La Liga fifth round matches, here at GetMoreSports.
ATHLETIC BILBAO vs. ATLETICO MADRID
Three-Way: 1: Athletic Bilbao +258; X: +229 Draw; 2: Atletico Madrid +140
Spread +0.5: Athletic Bilbao -141; Atletico Madrid +137
Total +2: Over -112; Under +110
ATHLETIC BILBAO
Athletic Bilbao’s form is pretty variable at the start of the La Liga season, as they have seven points out of the first four games. At home, they’ve earned four points with a 2:0 goal difference, but as visitors, Los Leones have one win (at Eibar) and one loss (against Las Palmas in the previous round), with a 1:1 goal difference. Now they are facing the toughest challenge from the start of the La Liga campaign. Diego Simeone’s team is a great rival with some world-class players in the squad, so Los Leones will have to bring their best game if they want to succeed.
In the last game against Las Palmas, they had a slow start allowing two excellent scoring chances to the home team. With the help of a goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, their net stayed intact, and it was a signal for Jose Ziganda’s players to play more concentrate. In the 50th minute, Sabin had a wonderful opportunity to score, but he was too slow in the front of the Las Palmas’ goalkeeper. When everyone in the stadium thought the game will finish goalless, Athletic Bilbao’s defense relents for the first defeat of the Ziganda’s team in this season. It should be a good lesson before the clash against Atletico Madrid, who is a far better team than Las Palmas.
With just three goals scored out of 33 goal chances, Athletic Bilbao is one of the worst teams in the La Liga when it comes to utilizing chances. Their defensive work is what brought them seven points, and Las Palmas’ goal was the first they have conceded in this season. Against Atletico Madrid, Ziganda’s boys must continue with hard working and tough defense. There are no injury worries and we’ll see the best eleven on the field. Oscar de Marcos is the only doubtful player with a sprained ankle.
ATLETICO MADRID
Atleti are building up their form slowly allowing no goals in their net in the last three games (including the match against Roma in the Champions League). After two goalless draws against Valencia and Roma, they finally broke the deadlock on the last Saturday, beating Malaga at home, 1:0. You can even guess who was the goalscorer – the Frenchman Antoin Griezmann, who netted after Correa’s assist.
Diego Simeone’s team has a lot of issues with finishing in the last couple of weeks, after a banging start of the La Liga season when they’ve scored seven times in just two games. In the previous round against Malaga, they were struggling until the 61st minute when Griezmann scored a winning goal. However, at the defensive end, they are playing better and better. Diego Simeone is mixing players in the defensive line and it starts to pay off. Diego Godin and Lucas Hernandes started against Malaga, having a good game along Filipe Luis and Juanfran at full-backs. El Cholo is surely satisfied with his defenders after a couple of poor displays at the start of the season.
Antoin Griezmann will be the main force at the front, while Angel Correa is having a nice season with two goals in four appearances. Yannick Carrasco came off the bench last Saturday, but I expect to see him in the starting lineup at San Mames. The Belgian is a creative force with two assists and two key passes so far, also adding a goal to his name. Diego Simeone is quite unpredictable this year with a lot of changes in the starting eleven, and against Athletic Bilbao, he can’t count on Sime Vrsaljko and Augusto Fernandez due to injuries.
ATHLETIC BILBAO vs. ATLETICO MADRID – Match Prediction
The Los Leones didn’t win a game against Atleti since January, 27th 2013, earning just two draws in last ten La Liga matches. We should expect a close game where one goal could be a decider if we look at teams’ form. However, I suggest you be brave and bet on Both teams to score YES, as both last season’s encounters ended in this fashion.
MY PICK: Both teams to score YES (+110)
LEGANES vs. GIRONA
Three-Way: 1: Leganes +124; X: +229 Draw; 2: Girona +305
Spread -0.5: Leganes +120; Girona -125
Total +2: Over +100; Under -102
LEGANES
Leganes lost two games in a row after two starting wins in the La Liga, and they are at the 10th spot with six points out of four rounds. However, there are a lot of problems in their play, especially in the final third. All of their three goals came after a rebound, still failing to make a single assist. The average passing accuracy of 68% is second worst in the La Liga (only Getafe is worse), still enough to create 27 scoring opportunities. For example, Atletico Madrid created one more, scoring eight times.
Leganes’ manager Asier Garitano will have to work on these two segments (finishing and passing) if he wants his team to improve. In the last round against Eibar, his guy’s paid a price for missed chances, and now they need to step up if they want to beat Girona. Even it is early in the season, three points from this game could be crucial in their fight against the relegation. Garitano can count on all players, besides a goalkeeper Jon Ander Serantes who’s out with a shoulder injury.
GIRONA
Like Leganes, Girona also lost two games in a row, without scoring a goal. They lay on 15th spot with four points out of the same number of games. Girona had a tough schedule at the start of the La Liga, playing with Atletico Madrid, Malaga, Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla in the first four rounds, so their score is surely a success. Against Sevilla in the previous match, Girona started in a 3-5-2 formation, looking good particularly in the first half. They would probably earn a point, but Iraizoz’s poor reaction allowed Luis Muriel to score.
Now they’ll meet a similar strength team, focusing on staying undefeated. If they manage to repeat a performance against Sevilla, they surely stand a chance. Some nice attacking moves wasn’t enough in the last game, but this time at Leganes it could bring some goals. There are no injury problems among the squad, but David Timor is still doubtful due to muscle injury.
LEGANES vs. GIRONA – Match Prediction
If you like to bet on unpredictable games, then this is the one for you. Leganes will be searching for new points at the home stadium, while Girona will try to earn at least a point after two consecutive losses. It could be a draw, like in their two previous games in the La Liga 2 a couple of years ago, but I think it is going to be a tight meeting, so maybe the best option is to put your money on Under 2.5 goals.
MY PICK: Under 2 goals (-102)
