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

Girona look in a spot of bother, as they are seven points worse off this season than they were at the same stage the last time they were relegated in 2018-19.

Match preview

Girona have their home form solely to thank for them not being in the bottom three at present, as 80% of their points have come at the Montilivi.

Taking advantage of being at home again here will be critical, before facing Elche, a side yet to win after 12 matches, in midweek in their final league encounter before the World Cup.

Michel's men have not won in seven games though, and taking just two points in games with Osasuna, Almeria and Cadiz was underwhelming.

An excellent draw away at Real Madrid sums up their highly volatile form though, but has shown what they are capable of, even if they were fortunate to avoid defeat after a last-gasp VAR intervention denied Real a winner.

With Sevilla being one of the sides below them in the relegation zone, you would expect Girona must pick up points because the Champions League competitors will surely not linger in that position for much longer.

Ernesto Valverde led his Bilbao side to five wins in their first seven La Liga matches of the campaign, but a gruelling run of fixtures saw them pick up just two points from a possible 12 at the start of October.

Sevilla, Atletico Madrid, Getafe and Barcelona were the opponents during that run, but a win over Villarreal last week got them back on track, meaning it remains their best start to a La Liga since the turn of the millennium.

Returning to Europe for the first time in six seasons is on the agenda for the losing 2012 UEFA Europa League finalists, and being just one of two sides in the top eight not playing European football this season in an already congested calendar could aid their ambitions.

They are just two points behind fourth-placed Real Betis going into the weekend, so breaking into those illustrious Champions League spots will be the target before the World Cup break.

Girona La Liga form:

L

L

D

L

D

D

Athletic Bilbao La Liga form:

W

D

L

D

L

W

Team News

Ex-Leeds United attacker Samu Saiz is out for Girona, along with Borja Garcia and Ibrahima Kebe, who are both recovering from knee injuries.

Juanpe is the other known absentee for Michel's side, as the central defender misses out with a leg injury.

Ander Herrera went off inside 20 minutes of Bilbao's loss at Barcelona with a hamstring problem, before his replacement Dani Garcia lasted just 40 minutes himself before he needed to go off with the same issue.

Herrera is back in the squad, but it is not confirmed whether the 33-year-old will start here, while captain Iker Muniain is definitely out with an abdominal strain.

Inaki Williams is in line to make a 246th consecutive start up front for Athletic Club, alongside his younger brother Nico Williams on the right.

Girona possible starting lineup:

Gazzaniga; Martinez, Bueno, David Lopez, Gutierrez; Couto, Romeu, Herrera, Aleix Garcia, Fernandez, Castellanos

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:

Unai Simon, De Marcos, Yeray, Inigo Martinez, Yuri Berchiche; Sancet, Vesga, Raul Garcia; N Williams, I Williams, Berenguer

We say: Girona 1-2 Athletic Bilbao

Winless in seven, including four defeats for Girona, is relegation form, and unless they get a result here, they could fall into the bottom three come the end of the weekend.

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