Atalanta vs Athletic Bilbao Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
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Italian Serie A outfit Atalanta have been improving for a while and now the Bergamasci welcome an Athletic Club side that have majorly declined this season.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Atalanta preview: Improving Bergamasci
In the summer, Atalanta lost long-term manager Gian Piero Gasperini to Roma with Ivan Juric initially appointed and struggling before being replaced by Gasperini disciple Raffaele Palladino and, in tough circumstances, steadily improving.
The Bergamasci sit tucked inside the top eight in the UEFA Champions League league phase, albeit they were most recently held to a frustrating 1-1 draw against Serie A strugglers Pisa at Arena Garibaldi in Tuscany at the weekend.
Athletic Bilbao preview: Frustrated Basque
Having qualified for the UEFA Champions League last season, Athletic Club had enjoyed an extremely impressive campaign but the Basque giants have struggled to deal with the added intensity of the competition alongside La Liga.
The visitors come into this one on the back of a 3-2 defeat to struggling Real Mallorca at Son Moix at the weekend, just a few days after a hard-fought extra-time defeat of second division outfit Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey.
Atalanta team news: Lookman on the way back
Ademola Lookman’s involvement, especially from the start, is a doubt after Nigeria’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations campaign ended at the weekend. New signing Giacomo Raspadori is ineligible.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Carnsecchi; Scalvini, Hien, Ahanor; Musah, De Roon, Pasalic, Bernasconi; De Ketelaere, Zalewski; Scamacca
Unavailable: Bakker (Injured), Raspadori (Ineligible)
Questionable: Djimsiti (Injured), Bellanova (Injured), Lookman (International duty)
Athletic Bilbao team news: Plenty of injuries
Athletic are dealing with plenty of injury issues this weekend, particularly defensively, with Unai Egiluz and Aymeric Laporte sidelined alongside Mikel Vesga and Maroan Sannadi.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Simon; Gorosabel, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Sancet, N. Williams; Guruzeta
Unavailable: Yeray (Disciplinary), Egiluz (Injured), Laporte (Injured), Prados (Injured), Vesga (Injured), Serrano (Injured), Sannadi (Injured)
Questionable:
Atalanta vs Athletic Bilbao prediction
Athletic Club begin the penultimate match day in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League sitting two points behind the top 24 and the knockout playoff spots. The visitors are, though, badly struggling for any sort of fluency and consistency. In contrast, Atalanta have been steadily improving for a while and, with their home advantage, have to be marked out as the favourites for this one in Bergamo.
Atalanta vs Athletic Bilbao Tip: Double chance – Atalanta to win or draw
