Preview: Athletic Bilbao vs. Elfsborg – prediction, team news, lineups

Athletic Bilbao will look to maintain their unbeaten start to their Europa League campaign when they welcome Elfsburg to San Mames Thursday.

The hosts are sits in sixth position halfway through the league phase, while the visitors are in 24th place after the first four matchdays.

Match preview

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Competing in Europe for the first time since 2017-18, Athletic will be dreaming of going all the way in this season’s Europa League, with May’s final set taking place at their iconic San Mames home.

Athletic have made a positive start to their bid to win a European trophy in their own stadium after taking 10 points from their opening four games.

After starting with a 1-1 draw against Roma, Los Leones have gone on to record wins over AZ Alkmaar, Slavia Prague and Ludogorets to leave them in the top eight and just two points behind leaders Lazio.

Los Leones will bring significant momentum into matchday five after extending their unbeaten run to seven competitive games with a narrow 1-0 victory over Basque rivals Real Sociedad at the weekend, with Oihan Sancet‘s first-half effort proved enough to ensure Athletic finished the weekend in fifth place and two points behind the top four.

Athletic continue to use San Mames as a fortress, having lost just one of their last 31 competitive home matches in all competitions.

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Elfsborg sit just inside the top 24 after winning one, drawing one and losing two of their four matches in the opening league phase.

The Swedish side fell to narrow defeats to AZ Alkmaar and Galatasaray either side of a 1-0 home win over Roma before rescuing a point in their latest European outing against Braga.

Emil Holten scored an 84th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw in Sweden, helping his side put together a four-match unbeaten run in all competitions.

After ending their league campaign with a goalless draw against Varnamo, Elfsborg now have the tough task of staying fit and sharp for their next four Europa League games as they look to progress from a European group stage/league stage for the first walk.

If Elfsborg are to have any trouble against a strong Athletic side, they will need to improve in the defensive third after conceding seven goals across their previous two Europa League games.

Athletic Bilbao Europa League form:

Athletic Bilbao form (all competitions):

Elfsborg Europa League form:

Elfsborg form (all competitions):

Team news

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Athletic Director Ernesto Valverde should have a full squad to choose from as long as there are no new injuries after Sunday’s derby win.

Goalkeeper Unai Simon returned to the squad at the weekend after a long injury lay-off, but after being on the bench against Real Sociedad, the Spain international could now get the chance to make his first appearance of the season.

Valverde could be tempted to freshen up his away contingent, with Andoni Gorosabel, Aitor Paredes, Alex Berenguer and Gorka Guruzeta everyone pushes for starting berths.

As for the visitors, they are unable to call on experienced forwards Per Frickwho has missed the last five competitive games due to injury.

Elfsborg boss Oscar Hiljemark will likely line up with a back three Sebastian Holmen, Ibrahim Buhari and Terry Yegbe.

Michael Baidoo expected to lead the way for the Elfsborg forward, with the striker looking to add to the five goals he has scored in eight European appearances this season.

Athletic Bilbao possible starting line-up:
Simon; Gorosabel, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Prados; I. Williams, Berenguer, N. Williams; Guruzeta

Elfsborg possible starting line-up:
Pettersson; Holmen, Buhari, Yegbe; Hedlund, Ouma, Baldursson, Hult; Zeneli, Qasem, Baidoo

We say: Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Elfsborg

Elfsborg have failed to take anything from their previous two European away games and we think they could slump to another away defeat when they face an Athletic side who have won four of their previous five home games in all tournaments.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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