Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Europa League clash between Athletic Bilbao and Slavia Prague, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
On Thursday, Athletic Bilbao will welcome Slavia Prague to San Mames for their third match of the Europa League main draw.
The two sides will be looking to maintain their unbeaten starts to the group phase after taking four points from their opening two matches.
Match preview
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Athletic are competing in their first European campaign since 2017-18 after they achieved a fifth-place finish in La Liga last season.
With the Europa League final taking place at San Mames, Los Leones will be dreaming of going all the way in this season’s competition.
Athletic have certainly made an encouraging start to their European campaign, having taken four points from their first two matches against Roma and AZ Alkmaar.
Aitor Paredes scored an 85th-minute equaliser to salvage a point in the Italian capital, before Inaki Williams and Oihan Sancet scored second-half goals to fire Athletic to a 2-0 home win over AZ on matchday two.
While they followed that win with an away league defeat against Girona, Athletic produced a dominant display on their return from the international break to claim a 4-1 victory over Espanyol thanks to an Inaki Williams brace and goals from Dani Vivian and Alex Berenguer.
As a result of that victory, Ernesto Valverde‘s side have now gone four consecutive home games without defeat (W3, D1), and they will head into Thursday’s contest with high hopes of claiming a third successive home victory.
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Slavia Prague started their European journey with aspirations of a Champions League main draw appearance, but those dreams were crushed by a 3-2 defeat to Lille in the playoff round, leaving the Czech side to settle for a place in the Europa League.
They have seemingly put their Champions League disappointment behind them, having made an unbeaten start to their Europa League campaign to leave them in ninth position and ahead of 12th-placed Athletic on goal difference.
Matej Jurasek and Mojmir Chytil grabbed a goal apiece to fire Slavia to a 2-0 away win over Bulgarian champions Ludogorets, before Tomas Chory scored the all-important equaliser in a 1-1 home draw with Ajax.
Jindrich Trpisovsky‘s side followed that hard-fought draw with consecutive 2-1 league wins over rivals Sparta Prague and Jabolence, with those results giving Slavia a six-point lead at the top of the Czech First League.
They have now won eight of their previous nine matches in all competitions (D1), making it over two months since they suffered their most recent defeat in the first leg of their Champions League playoff clash with Lille.
Slavia have also recorded four consecutive away wins since that unsuccessful trip to France, but will be fully aware that they have their work cut out to beat an Athletic side that has lost just once in their last 28 competitive home games.
Athletic Bilbao Europa League form:
Athletic Bilbao form (all competitions):
Slavia Prague Europa League form:
Slavia Prague form (all competitions):
Team News
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Athletic are still without Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon, who is yet to feature this season after undergoing wrist surgery in the summer.
Defender Mikel Vesga and attacker Oihan Sancet have recovered from their respective injury issues and should be ready to feature in the matchday squad.
Aitor Paredes is set to return to the side after missing the Espanyol win through suspension, while Andoni Gorosabel could come in to start on the right side of defence.
Inaki Williams will be looking to continue his fine form, having scored four goals and provided four assists in 12 competitive appearances.
As for the visitors, they are having to cope with a number of injury absentees, including Igoh Ogbu, Lukas Vorlicky, Ivan Schranz and Daniel Fila.
Slavia goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky is expected to be shielded by a back three of Tomas Holes, David Zima and Jan Boril.
Oscar Dorley and David Doudera could both come into the side after missing Sunday’s win over Jablonec through suspension.
Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:
Agirrezabala; Gorosabel, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Sancet, N. Williams; Guruzeta
Slavia Prague possible starting lineup:
Kinsky; Holes, Zima, Boril; Doudera, Prebsl, Dorley, Diouf; Lingr, Provod, Chory
We say: Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Slavia Prague
Slavia have proven to be a tough team to beat in recent times, and we think they will provide Athletic with a tough test in Thursday’s Europa League clash.
However, Athletic tend to be a strong force at San Mames, and we think that home advantage will help them claim a narrow victory on matchday three.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.