Preview: Real Valladolid vs. Athletic Bilbao - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 home defeat to Barcelona, while Real Valladolid shared the points with bottom-of-the-table Elche last time out.

Match preview

Real Valladolid secured a return to La Liga by finishing second in last season's Segunda Division, so any position over 18th would be seen as a successful campaign.

The White and Violets are currently 14th in the table, but they are only two points ahead of the relegation zone at this stage, and it would be a surprise if they were not involved in a battle towards the bottom of the division for the remainder of the season.

Pacheta's side will certainly have gained encouragement from their 2-1 home success over Espanyol at the start of March, but they were held to a 1-1 draw by basement side Elche last time out.

Cyle Larin's fourth-minute effort looked to be securing all three points for Real Valladolid at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, but Tete Morente levelled in the sixth minute of added time at the end of the 90.

Pacheta's side have been strong at home this season, picking up 20 points from 12 matches, and they will be welcoming an Athletic side that have secured 13 points from their 12 games on their travels.

Athletic will be looking to do a league double over Real Valladolid, having recorded a 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture between the two teams at San Mames back in November.

The Basque outfit have only lost one of their last five top-flight fixtures with Friday's opponents but will not enter this match in the best form, having failed to win any of their last five games in all competitions.

Ernesto Valverde's side suffered a 1-0 loss to Osasuna in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final at the start of the month, while they have picked up just a single point from their last four league games against Atletico Madrid, Girona, Rayo Vallecano and Barcelona.

Athletic were on the end of a 1-0 defeat to Barcelona last weekend, and they now have two more league games against Real Valladolid and Getafe before hosting Osasuna for the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final.

The Lions are currently ninth in the table, five points behind sixth-placed Villarreal, but they are now 12 points off fourth-placed Real Sociedad, so a Champions League spot is unlikely.

Real Valladolid La Liga form:

W

D

L

L

W

D

Athletic Bilbao La Liga form:

W

W

L

L

D

L

Athletic Bilbao form (all competitions):

W

L

L

L

D

L

Team News

Real Valladolid had both Roque Mesa and Martin Hongla sent off in their draw with Elche last time out, so the duo will be suspended for Friday's contest.

Meanwhile, Luis Perez, Selim Amallah, Jordi Masip, Kenedy and Anuar Tuhami will be unavailable for selection once again due to fitness problems.

Kike Perez is likely to be introduced in the middle of midfield, while Darwin Machis and Javier Sanchez are competing for spots in the XI after featuring off the bench last time out.

As for Athletic, Inigo Lekue, Jon Morcillo and Unai Simon remain on the sidelines through injury, while Ander Herrera is again expected to miss out with a muscular problem.

There will be a return to the squad for Oihan Sancet, though, with the Spaniard serving the suspension that forced him to miss out against Barcelona last weekend.

Iker Muniain is also expected to return to the starting team on Friday, with Raul Garcia and Alex Berenguer likely to be the two players to drop down to the bench following the clash against the division leaders.

Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:

Asenjo; Fresneda, Fernandez, El Yamiq, Olaza; Plata, Aguado, Perez, Sanchez, Plano; Marin

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:

Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Vivian, I Martinez, Balenziaga; D Garcia, Vesga; Muniain, Sancet, N Williams; I Williams

We say: Real Valladolid 1-1 Athletic Bilbao

These two teams have not shared the points at the home of Real Valladolid since February 2013, but we are backing a stalemate on Friday night. Athletic's recent form has been disappointing, so it is difficult to back them to win, and Real Valladolid certainly have enough about them to claim a share of the spoils in this match.

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