Athletic Bilbao vs Celta Vigo
Athletic Bilbao will attempt to revive their European football hopes when they host Celta Vigo at San Mames on Sunday night in the 37th matchday of the 2025-26 La Liga campaign. Los Leones are currently ninth in the Spanish top-flight standings with 44 points, and they must tack on points in their final two matches.
Ernesto Valverde’s men have lost three of their last four, putting them in a major predicament. Even if they get six points from their next two league games, they do not exactly control their fate, with Getafe and Real Sociedad above them in the table.
On the other hand, Celta Vigo are on course to secure back-to-back trips to Europe. Claudio Giraldez’s side is sixth in the table with 50 points, and beating Athletic Bilbao would strengthen their hold on their current place.
This is undoubtedly a big game for both sides, and SBOTOP has you covered with today’s preview.
Talking Points
Athletic Bilbao bit by the injury bug again
Ernesto Valverde plans to end his Athletic Bilbao head coaching stint on a high note by leading Los Leones back to European football before Edin Terzic takes his place next season. However, it’s a daunting task for Valverde, considering he doesn’t have a full squad.
Nico Williams is back in the medical room after reaggravating his hamstring injury in their 1-0 loss to Valencia. The Spanish winger sat out against Espanyol (2-0), and he’s questionable at best against Celta Vigo. Losing him is a huge blow, as he’s one of their biggest attacking threats, having notched six goals and three assists this term. If he’s out for the second consecutive match, his older brother, Inaki Williams, will likely start in his place.
Centre-back Dani Vivian and forward Oihan Sancet are doubtful to play on Sunday. Vivian sprained his ankle against Espanyol, and many believe that he won’t play again this season. Sancet, meanwhile, sat out the Espanyol match due to a knock. Benat Prados and Yuri Berchiche are also iffy to play on Sunday.
For Athletic Bilbao to end their drought, they must pick up their production in the final third. We’re looking at Gorka Guruzeta and Robert Navarro to lead the way, as they have accounted for 15 goals and four assists this term.
Jutgla back on the scoresheet for Celta Vigo
Ferran Jutgla was the bright spot in Celta Vigo’s surprising 3-2 loss against Levante this midweek, as the 27-year-old broke his scoring drought with a brace. He put his team up 2-1 before Adrian de la Fuente and Roger Brugue retook the lead for Levante.
Before this, Jutgla hadn’t scored in nine consecutive matches in all competitions. His previous score was bagging a brace during Celta Vigo’s 4-3 loss to Alaves. Moreover, top scorer Borja Iglesias and Williot Swedberg could get recalled against Athletic Bilbao to help Jutgla, with the pair coming off the bench against Levante.
History
Celta Vigo won 2-0 against Athletic Bilbao in the reverse fixture last December, as Williot Swedberg and Jones El-Abdellaoui found the back of the net. Four of the last six league meetings between these two sides have been won by Los Leones, and the Basque outfit leads the overall head-to-heads 73 wins to Os Celestes’ 37.
Athletic Bilbao have the 10th-best home record in La Liga this season, with 29 points from 18 matches, while Celta Vigo have the third-best away record, notching 30 points from 18 games.
After finishing fourth last season to secure qualification for the Champions League, Athletic Bilbao could miss out on Europe altogether for next season. Their recent La Liga 2026 results have been uninspiring, and they could record three consecutive La Liga losses without scoring for the first time since May 2021.
Betting Tip
The La Liga 2026 odds predict Athletic Bilbao returning to winning ways at the expense of Celta Vigo this Sunday, despite their gap in the table. Because they’re playing at home, Los Leones have the edge at 2.19, whereas Os Celestes are at 3.14, and a draw is valued at 3.07 in the 1X2 market.
However, Celta Vigo have been excellent on their travels this season, so we believe they can see this through. Besides our recommended bet, bettors may also add Over 2.00 at 1.60, Over 2.25 at 1.89, Over 2.50 at 2.12, and Total Goal 2-3 at 1.97 to the parlay. Furthermore, the Correct Score of 2-0 in favour of Celta Vigo – the result of their previous league meeting – is on offer at a staggering 17.50.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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