Confiamos (?) en esta punta para Bilbao-Barca

Bilbao have not beaten Barcelona in four years, but they will not be underdogs this Sunday.

Sunday night’s La Liga matchday concludes with Bilbao-Barcelona, and based on bookmakers’ odds and fans’ expectations, it’s a three-way tie. In any case, the numbers look legitimate, as Bilbao and Barca are only one place apart in the standings, and a few weeks ago at the San Mamés, Bilbao knocked the Catalans out of the Spanish Cup after an extra-time thriller.

Team news Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona

In terms of form, neither side can complain, as neither team is in a particularly bad run of form. Both sides come into this game on the back of a confidence-boosting success, with Barca knocking out Getafa 4-0 and Bilbao beating Atlético Madrid 3-0 in the cup.

As for the absentees, there are already some serious gaffes. On the Basque side, the suspension of Nico Williams seems to be a serious blow, as he is one of the team’s stars. Dani Vivian will also miss out due to suspension, while Ander Herrera and Inigo Lekue are out injured.

Barca’s situation has improved a lot since the winter, but Gavi, Alosno, Balde and Ferran Torres are still sidelined. According to the Catalan press, Xavi Rapinha, Lewandowski, Joao Félix could line up with an attacking trio, with Romeu in midfield and Pedri on the bench.

Topsters’ prediction

Well, we are not in an easy position to find a good bet on this match, as the bookies have almost all the numbers right. Bettors have somewhat rearranged the three-way odds, as Barca are now seen as a hair more likely to win, even though the reverse was true when the markets opened.

In Bilbao’s favour is the fact that they have an amazingly strong home record in the league (10-2-1) and the atmosphere against Barcelona is perhaps the hottest in the arena. However, the Basques’ chances are diminished by the fact that they have not had much rest since the Atlético game, and will be missing some absolutely key players in defence and attack.

In Barca’s favour, they could be better rested than their opponents, and with the injuries recovered, Xavi will not have to think about forced solutions. There is an improving trend for the Catalans, but the San Mamés will be a tough nut to crack.

Five weeks ago, the teams fought a huge battle in the cup, where Bilbao eventually overwhelmed Barca after a draw in normal time. With memories still fresh in the minds, we foresee a tense match with little, if any, chance of a winner.

The half-time or final draw option is, in our opinion, one that is worth risking a bet on, so we would go with that for this one.

Draw or under 2.5 goals@1.78