Athletic vs Girona Prediction 8 February 2025

🔊 Will the "Basques" manage to take revenge on the "Girona" for their defeat in the first round of the championship? This coming Saturday, a head-to-head match between Athletic and Girona will take place on the "San Mamés" pitch. Despite huge gameplay issues, Michel's team continues to fight for a spot in European competitions next season. Whether the "red and whites" can handle one of the most organized clubs in the league for the second time is a big question. According to bookmakers' predictions, the hosts are the undisputed favorites: a victory for the "Lions" is at 1.65 odds, while a win for the "Girona" stands at 5.3 odds.

📊 H2H

In the 9th round of the current La Liga season, the "red and whites" managed to defeat the "Basques" in an incredibly intense match - 2:1. Interestingly, the team from Bilbao missed a couple of penalty kicks, while Michel's men secured victory with a precise penalty by Cristian Stuani in the 99th minute. It's important to note that Girona has only once in history managed to leave "San Mamés" with three points in their pocket: in the 2022/23 season - 3:2.

🔴 ATHLETIC

One of Athletic's main phenomena is their fantastic organization, which stems from exemplary adherence to coaching ideas. Currently, the team from Bilbao sits in 4th place in the La Liga standings, holding a 4-point lead over their nearest rival. Ernesto Valverde is a proponent of the 4-2-3-1 tactical formation. This scheme is quite versatile. For example, the nominal "number ten" can drop deeper, saturating the midfield and significantly simplifying the process of positional defense. It's also worth noting that full-backs in this formation play a classic role, performing purely defensive tasks and providing width when transitioning from defense. Regular formations of triangles among players add variability to attack development and significantly expand the circle of potential ball recipients. In the "Lions'" infirmary, Álvaro Djaló and Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta remain sidelined.

⚪ GIRONA

Michel's side continues to face serious challenges in securing results this season. The team's inability from the eponymous city to calmly see out matches without resorting to excessive pragmatism has cost "Girona" points on multiple occasions. The current 7th place in the standings is largely due to favorable circumstances. The main reason for such inconsistent performances can be attributed to the loss of last year's Girona leaders. In the past winter transfer window, the "red and whites" were again extremely inert, managing only to push through a deal with Juventus for Arthur Melo's loan. The Brazilian's fairly high level of play on the ball allows him to feel comfortable in the role of a roaming playmaker. This signing is quite understandable: Iván Martín is far from last year's form, and competition within the squad is necessary. Throughout the championship, it has been noticeable that Donny van de Beek's influence is growing steadily. Michel's tactical move of shifting the Dutchman to the "number ten" position proved not only curious and bold but also quite effective.

⚽️ GOAL PREDICTION

We draw attention to the quite high scoring nature of head-to-head matches between Athletic and Girona - about 2.9 goals per game. Moreover, in 5 of the last 6 instances, spectators witnessed at least three goals scored. Girona's desire to remain a proactive and intense team is commendable but brings with it several problems related to players' inability to fully control the midfield. The average scoring rate in matches involving "Girona" this season is 2.8 goals per game. We will focus on a total of more than 2 goals scored.

🚩 CORNER PREDICTION

Ernesto Valverde's football does not imply developing most attacks through the flanks. On the contrary, nominal wingers in a 4-2-3-1 formation operate closer to the center, relieving the "number ten" of some defensive and pressing duties. On average, matches involving Athletic see about 9.2 corner kicks per game. Girona's similar statistic stands at 8.5. Finally, in 5 of the last 6 head-to-head encounters, there were a maximum of 10 corners observed. Our choice is a total corners under 9.5.

📝 MATCH PREDICTION

It's hard to believe that Michel's team will manage to upset the "Basques" on the "San Mamés" pitch. The team from Bilbao has secured most of their points precisely in home matches - 22 points after 11 games. Girona has significant problems breaking down opponents' defenses and struggles to capitalize on scarce sharp moments. The head-to-head statistics in the Basque Country also favor Valverde's men. A final score of 3:1 is quite realistic. The key bet is on an Athletic victory.