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

6 days ago 17

Sports Mole previews Sunday's La Liga clash between Las Palmas and Athletic Bilbao, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Athletic Bilbao will attempt to claim their second La Liga win of the season when they travel to Gran Canaria for Sunday's meeting with Las Palmas.

Meanwhile, Las Palmas boss Luis Carrion is still searching for his first victory after seeing his side muster two points from the first four matches of the season.

Match preview

Las Palmas' Alberto Moleiro in action on August 11, 2024 © Imago

Carrion has experienced an underwhelming start to life as Las Palmas manager despite seeing his side take a point off Real Madrid on the third matchday.

Las Palmas began the campaign with a 2-2 draw against a Sevilla side coached by their former boss Garcia Pimienta, before they fell to a 2-1 defeat in their away meeting with newly-promoted Leganes.

While they bounced back to hold Real Madrid to a 1-1, Los Amarillos failed to build upon that result in their match before the international break as they slumped to a 2-0 away defeat against Alaves.

Las Palmas' poor start to the season is ultimately a continuation of a difficult end to the 2023-24 campaign, leaving the team from Gran Canaria winless in 18 league matches.

As a result, they will head into Sunday's fixture with hopes of claiming their first La Liga win since beating Valencia 2-0 in February.

The hosts have only lost one of their last eight competitive home games, although that solitary defeat did take place in last season's home meeting.

Athletic Bilbao head coach Ernesto Valverde on August 24, 2024 © Imago

After winning the Copa del Rey and achieving a fifth-place finish last season, Athletic are hoping to enjoy similar success in the 2024-25 campaign, where they will have the opportunity to compete in the Europa League main draw.

However, they have experienced an underwhelming start to the new season, having won one, drawn one and lost two of their opening four matches.

After drawing with Getafe and losing to Barcelona, Los Leones went on to claim a narrow 1-0 victory in their home meeting with Valencia thanks to Benat Prados's first-half effort.

Ernesto Valverde's side were unable to back up that result in their meeting with Atletico Madrid at San Mames, where they conceded in the second minute of stoppage time to lose a home league game for the first time since August 2023.

Having failed to score more than one goal in any of their four matches, Athletic will be looking to offer more of a cutting edge in Sunday's meeting with a Las Palmas side they beat on two occasions last season.

Los Leones recorded a 1-0 win in the home meeting in December 2023, before they claimed a 2-0 away victory in March which came courtesy of a Gorka Guruzeta effort and an own goal.

Las Palmas La Liga form:

Athletic Bilbao La Liga form:

Team News

Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams on August 15, 2024 © Imago

Las Palmas are hoping to call upon Pejino and Adnan Januzaj, with the pair on the verge of returning to action after missing the first four matches through injury.

Having registered a couple of assists in his four starts, Oli McBurnie will now look to open his La Liga account when he leads the line against Athletic.

Deadline-day signings Dario Essugo and Fabio Silva are available for selection, but it remains to be seen whether they will start Sunday's contest.

Meanwhile, the visitors are without the services of goalkeeper Unai Simon and defender Yeray Alvarez due to wrist and hamstring injuries.

With Yeray sidelined, Aitor Paredes will be given the opportunity to partner Dani Vivian in central defence, while Oscar de Marcos and Yuri Berchiche are set to operate as the two full-backs.

Nico Williams started two of the four games before the international break as Athletic managed his minutes following his Euro 2024 exploits, but he is almost certainly set to start Sunday's clash at the Estadio de Gran Canaria.

Las Palmas possible starting lineup:
Cillessen; Marvin, Suarez, McKenna, Marmol; Munoz, Campana, Rodriguez; Sandro, Moleiro, McBurnie

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:
Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche; Vesga, Prados; I. Williams, Sancet, N. Williams; Guruzeta

SM words green background

We say: Las Palmas 1-2 Athletic Bilbao

Athletic may have won just one of their four matches, but they still possess a lot of quality in their squad, and we believe they will prove too strong for a Las Palmas side that have gone seven months without a win.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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