Athletic Bilbao vs Sevilla Preview: Team News & Prediction
by Alex Lawes ·
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Athletic Club begin the 2026-27 La Liga season under new management as the Basque giants welcome what they hope to be a revived Sevilla side to San Mames.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / USA – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so any game may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / USA – ESPN+
Athletic Bilbao preview: A new era in Bilbao
Over the summer, there has been change at Athletic Club with club legend Ernesto Valverde departing the club at the end of his second stint in charge, replaced by former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic.
Despite links to Barcelona, Athletic have been able to keep hold of FIFA World Cup-winning centre-back Aymeric Laporte for now, as well as key winger Nico Williams, who returned to full fitness at the back end of the FIFA World Cup this summer.
Sevilla preview: Fortunate but winners
After a few seasons of stark regression and a couple of relegation battles, former Espanyol boss Luis Garcia Plaza has been persisted with at Sevilla and the Andalusian giants got themselves off the mark with a hard-fought victory last week.
A calamity at the back gave Rayo Vallecano an early lead at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan before a pair of penalties in the second half, the second of which was certainly a debatable decision, earned the Sevillanos a 2-1 victory.
Athletic Bilbao team news: Defensive injuries
Keeping hold of Aymeric Laporte has been key for Athletic Club, especially as Edin Terzic is beginning the season with a couple of centre-back absentees such as Dani Vivian and Unai Egiluz.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Unai Simon; Hugo Rincon, Aitor Paredes, Laporte, Yuri Berchiche; Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Mikel Jauregizar; Inaki Williams, Oihan Sancet, Nico Williams; Gorka Guruzeta
Unavailable: Dani Vivian (Injured), Unai Egiluz (Injured)
Questionable: Andoni Gorosabel (Injured), Benat Gerenabarrena (Injured)
Sevilla team news: Kike Salas suspended
Having been sent off on the opening day against Rayo, Kike Salas is now missing through suspension with defender Marcao still sidelined through injury alongside versatile attacker Alfon.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Vlachodimos; Juan Iglesias, Sangante, Andres Castrin, Suazo; Agoume, Nico Guillen; Peque, Jon Guridi, Oso; Ure
Unavailable: Kike Salas (Suspended), Marcao (Injured), Alfon (Injured)
Questionable:
Athletic Bilbao vs Sevilla prediction
Despite the route to victory being somewhat controversial and fortunate, Sevilla’s general play did suggest they deserved the win, especially having gone down to ten men mid-way through the second half. Athletic Club will be expected to play with a level of intensity that Terzic managed to implement at Dortmund and both teams scoring seems a decent bet for this one in the Basque Country on Saturday.
Athletic Bilbao vs Sevilla tip: Both teams to score
