Athletic Club have a long and proud history in La Liga and that’s being put to the test this season as they fight a battle at the foot of the table. They have never dropped out of the top flight in Spain and will not want to break that record this season.
On Monday night they travel to Balaidos to play Celta Vigo who are currently in mid-table. A win for Celta Vigo could see them move up as high as 8th but a defeat could see them drop several places in the table, towards the relegation zone.
Celta Vigo come into the match having lost 2-0 at Barcelona prior to the short break over Christmas and New Year. It was a game they were expected to lose, so was not a big shock but it means they have won only two of their last nine matches in all competitions.
Despite picking up only three wins in their last sixteen in all competitions, Celta Vigo are very good at home. They are tough to beat in-front of their own fans and trends show they have lost only two of their last eighteen games on home soil.
However, wins have been hard to come by and Celta Vigo have drawn eight of their last fourteen at home, keeping three clean sheets in their last five La Liga matches at Balaidos.
Athletic Club come into this match unbeaten in their last four games in all competitions but it has not been enough to move them clear of the relegation zone. They have picked up wins at Huesca in the Copa del Rey and at home against Girona in La Liga. However, Athletic Club’s last two games, both in La Liga, have ended in a draw.
They were held to a 0-0 draw at Deportivo Alaves and to a 1-1 draw at home by Real Valladolid, the latter of which they were hoping to win.
Away form has been the big problem for Athletic Club and while they remain tough to beat at the San Mames, trends show they have won just three of their last twenty-six away games in La Liga. Both teams have scored in nine of their last twelve on the road but ten of their last eight La Liga matches have seen under 2.5 goals.
Team news and Celta Vigo have only one injury concern ahead of this game but it is a major one as Iago Aspas is out with a calf injury until the end of January. Pione Sisto could play in attack having started the last game on the bench.
Athletic Club will be without Mubarak Wakaso and Ruben Duarte who are both suspended. Rodrigo Ely is out with a knee injury and there are doubts over Ximo Navarro and Darko Brasanac.
This is a very tough game to call as both teams are not in particularly good form. However, Athletic Club have proven tough to beat in recent games and they could come away with a point.