Henry Roldán
The action of matchday 31 of La Liga will conclude this coming Thursday with a pretty interesting match between two historical teams of Spanish football, who are currently in good form: Athletic Bilbao vs Sevilla.
The Lions come from a weekend victory away from home, after defeating Almería 1-2, while the Sevillistas added a super important win by defeating Villarreal 2-1 at home.
In the first clash between these clubs during matchday 8, the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Without further ado, at JefeBet we bring you the best preview of the interesting match between Athletic Bilbao vs Sevilla.
Predictions, Odds, and Betting Preview for the Athletic Bilbao vs Sevilla La Liga Matchday 31 Game on April 27, 2023
- Where: San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao, Spain
- When: Thursday, April 27, 2023, 4:00 PM ET
- Moneyline: Athletic Bilbao (-130) / Tie (+260) / Sevilla (+340)
- Asian Handicap: Athletic Bilbao (-0.25, -190) / Sevilla (+0.25, +135)
- Over/Under (2.5): Over (+110) / Under (-135)
- Both teams score: Yes (-110) / No (-115)
All odds are provided by DraftKings.
Betting on Athletic Bilbao
European competition winds are starting to blow into Bilbao thanks to an impressive performance by Athletic in the final stretch of the challenging Spanish league.
Under the leadership of Ernesto Valverde, the team has not experienced defeat in the last five matchdays and has won three of the last games, a feat that has resulted in positive consequences in the league standings.
With eight matches remaining, the Lions currently hold seventh place with 46 points, just one point behind Villarreal in the Conference League position and two points behind Real Betis in the spot that grants a spot in the Europa League.
The difference between seventh and fifth place is pretty tight considering that there are still 24 points up for grabs and Athletic is showing a strong defense. They have only conceded 30 goals in 30 games, which puts them on par with Villarreal for fifth place in the league. In their last seven matches, they’ve only been scored on four times.
However, it hasn’t been all strong points for Bilbao. They’ve struggled to earn points at their home stadium, San Mamés, and are currently ranked 11th in the league with 24 points out of a possible 45. In fact, in their last seven games, they’ve only managed to win two, despite being the second least scored-upon club at home with only 11 goals against.
Possible Lineup (4-2-3-1): Unai Simón; Óscar De Marcos, Dani Vivian, Yeray Álvarez, Yuri Berchiche; Mikel Vesga, Dani García; Oihan Sancet, Nico Williams, Iñaki Williams; Gorka Gruzueta.
Betting on Sevilla
The arrival of José Luis Mendilibar as head coach of Sevilla has breathed new life into a club that, after four weeks without a defeat, has managed to distance itself from the relegation zone.
Following several matchdays where the specter of the Second Division loomed over the historic white-and-red club, three victories and a draw have propelled them to 12th place in the league standings with 38 points, eight more than Valencia who currently occupies the last relegation spot.
This radical change in Sevilla’s performance has also been evident in Europe, where the club once again demonstrated why it holds the record for the most titles won in the history of the Europa League. They eliminated none other than Manchester United in the quarterfinals (5-2 on aggregate).
When it comes to their progress in La Liga, the improvement in defense has undoubtedly been crucial for this new Sevilla. Although they are the fourth club to have conceded the most goals in the league, allowing 45 so far, they have only been scored on three times during their four-game unbeaten streak, keeping two clean sheets.
Sevilla has also attempted to improve their away form by earning two consecutive victories on the road. However, their 26 goals conceded away from home are the third highest in the league, and they have suffered seven of their 12 defeats in this condition.
Possible Lineup (4-2-3-1): Marko Dmitrovic; Gonzalo Montiel, Fernando, Loïc Badé, Alex Telles; Pape Gueye, Ivan Rakitic; Bryan Gil, Óliver Torres, Erik Lamela; Rafa Mir.
JefeBet Prediction
A thrilling match awaits us this Thursday at the legendary San Mamés Cathedral, with two teams in great form who need to win three points to consolidate their respective goals.
Bilbao has a great opportunity to return to a continental tournament after their last appearance in the Europa League 2017/18. However, their good performance in recent weeks is not enough. They must also improve their game at home, where they have been inconsistent.
On the other hand, Sevilla has breathed new life into their season by distancing themselves from the relegation zone. But they cannot let their guard down with eight games left to play and a defense with many doubts.
That being said, the Lions should win this match. They are playing at home with a solid defense and are much more rested than the white and reds, who gave everything against United on Thursday and had another tough match against Villarreal on Sunday.
However, Sevilla has won three of the last five matches at San Mamés, and it won’t be easy to beat them. That’s why we expect a highly contested match, with good defense and few goals, like the last four matches between these clubs where two goals or fewer were scored in the overall score.
Prediction: Under (ATH 1 – SEV 1)
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