Athletic Bilbao will visit Espanyol in their La Liga campaign on October 19 at 13.30 to rebound from a recent setback. Athletic is sixth in the La Liga standings, having won four, drawn two, and lost three of their nine matches this season for 14 points. They are just three points behind fourth-place Villarreal. Despite a recent 2-1 defeat to Girona, Athletic enjoyed a six-game unbeaten streak in all competitions before the international break.
On the other hand, Espanyol is 14th in the division, having won three, drawn one, and lost five of their nine league matches for 10 points. They are optimistic that their top scorer, Javi Puado, will be eligible for the encounter, pending a late fitness test for a knee injury.
With Athletic having won two of their past three league games against Espanyol, the Lions have a solid historical record against their forthcoming opponents. On the other hand, Espanyol’s recent victory over Mallorca before the international break has added a new chapter to their history, and they will be looking to win consecutive games in Spain’s top division for the second time this season.
Both clubs are expected to score in this encounter given their previous results and the attacking nature of their play. As a result, the game is expected to end with both sides scoring.