Athletic Bilbao vs Granada Prediction: Bilbao bound for an easy victory

The curtain raiser in Spain this weekend comes from the Basque country, with Copa Del Rey winners Athletic Bilbao taking on Granada at San Mames on Friday night (8pm GMT). 

The fifth-placed hosts will be feeling confident given their visitors’ lowly league position of 19th and Ernesto Valverde will be keen to get a win that would see Bilbao heap the pressure on Atletico Madrid in fourth. Here are our Athletic Bilbao vs Granada predictions, including team news and match odds.

Team News 

Bilbao centre-back Yeray has been absent since being forced off against Real Madrid last month but is finally nearing a return, while Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta should return in midfield after serving a ban for accumulating too many yellow cards. 

Jesus Vallejo remains out having not made an appearance since January and Oscar Melendo is still a doubt after missing Granada’s last two games. 

Match Odds 

Bilbao are unsurprisingly strong favourites for this clash at 1/4, with Granada 11/1 and the draw 5/1. 

Both teams to score seems unlikely but can be backed at 5/4, while over 2.5 goals is available at 4/6. 

In-form Bilbao forward Gorka Guruzeta is the 100/30 favourite to open the scoring on Friday, with his team-mate Asier Villalibre not too far behind in that market at 4/1. 

Athletic Bilbao to win to nil @ 5/6 

Bilbao’s return to La Liga action following their Copa Del Rey triumph did not quite go to plan as a 95th-minute Dani Parejo penalty cost them all three points against Villarreal last Sunday, but they should return to winning ways on Friday. 

That draw with the Yellow Submarine means the hosts’ unbeaten streak at San Mames now stands at 18 games and they have beaten the likes of Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Girona in that run. 

Bilbao have won eight of their last 10 league games on their own patch and should have no issues against a Granada side who have taken just two points from a possible 45 on their travels this season. 

The visitors have lost six of their last eight away La Liga matches without scoring and another defeat to nil could be on the cards in the Basque country, with a 2-0 Athletic Bilbao win making appeal in the correct score market at 9/2. 

#PickYourPunt - Under 2.5 goals & Draw/Athletic Bilbao Half-Time/Full-Time @ 5/1 

As already explained, it seems extremely unlikely that Granada will net at San Mames, but the hosts may not run away with things either. 

Only two of Granada’s last eight away league games gone over 2.5 goals, while three of the last four meetings between this pair have stayed below that total, so back the under to kick off your #PickYourPunt. 

The visitors should have enough to keep it tight and they could even shut their hosts out for the first 45 minutes. Granada’s last three defeats - all 1-0 to Valencia, Mallorca and Cadiz respectively - saw them go in level at half-time 

Back Bilbao to get the job done in the second half by adding the Draw/Athletic Bilbao Half-Time/Full-Time to your #PickYourPunt for a tasty 5/1 bet. 

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