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

Eibar welcome Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao to Ipurua Municipal Stadium on Wednesday looking to return to winning ways and ease their relegation concerns.

The hosts have lost three in a row and are just two points above the relegation zone, while opponents Athletic's hopes of European football next season are slowly dwindling.

Match preview

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Eibar marked their return to La Liga action with a 3-1 loss away at Real Madrid, making it three defeats in a row either side of the three-month coronavirus-enforced break.

Los Armeros were outclassed in the first half and found themselves three goals down at the interval, but Madrid were guilty of taking their eye off the ball in the second period.

Pedro Bigas scored a deserved goal after being brought off the bench, though that proved to be nothing more than a consolation for Eibar at the Estadi Alfredo Di Stefano.

The loss to Madrid followed successive 2-1 defeats to Mallorca and Real Sociedad, with Eibar now well and truly in the relegation dog fight.

Points are desperately needed if they are to climb from their current standing of 16th, and Wednesday's clash presents a real opportunity to stop the rot.

Athletic played out a respectable 1-1 draw with stalemate specialists Atletico Madrid at the weekend - Diego Costa cancelling Iker Muniain 's opener almost instantly.

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Gaizka Garitano 's men are exactly midway in the table, eight points off Atletico in the final Europa League qualifying spot.

Finishing in the top six cannot be entirely ruled out with 10 games to go, but Athletic's focus may already be on their Copa del Rey final showdown with Sociedad.

That is something Eibar will be looking to capitalise on, and they will also be aware of their neighbours' poor recent away league record against fellow Basque sides, losing five and drawing two of their last seven such encounters.

Los Armeros have lost their last two home league matches, however, both by a 2-1 margin, following a four-match unbeaten run between December and February.

With Valencia, Leganes, Osasuna and Real Valladolid all still to come at Ipurua, Jose Luis Mendilibar 's hopes of keeping his side above the dotted line may well rest on their home form.

Eibar's La Liga form: LLWLLL

Athletic Bilbao's La Liga form: LLLWWD

Team B form (all competitions): LLWLWD

Team News

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Bigas made a big impact from the bench last time out and has surely done enough to earn a place in attack, with Anaitz Arbilla the favourite to make way.

Rafa Soares had a mixed time of things against Madrid and is at risk of being displaced by Jose Angel in midweek.

Gonzalo Escalante is also expected to feature from the off after missing the trip to the Spanish capital through suspension.

As for Athletic, Unai Nunez may be given the nod over Yeray Alvarez alongside Inigo Martinez at centre-back.

Oscar de Marcos made his first appearance since October against Atletico, but he have to wait a little longer for his first start.

The other big call for Garitano to make is in central midfield, where Benat Etxebarria is pushing for a recall to the side.

Eibar possible starting lineup:

Dmitrovic; Rober, Oliveira, Bigas, Jose Angel; Escalante, Alvarez; Pedro Leon, Exposito, Inui; Kike

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:

Simon; Capa, Nunez, Inigo Martinez, Berchiche; Benat, Lopez; Williams, Munian, Cordoba; Garcia

We say: Eibar 2-2 Athletic Bilbao

Athletic may have gone seven away league matches without a win against fellow Basque opposition, but they have lost just one of their 11 La Liga encounters with Eibar. Three of the last four encounters have finished all square, meanwhile, and we are expecting the shares to be spoiled on Wednesday.