The Europa League match between Athletic Bilbao and Elfsborg on November 28, 2024, presents an intriguing contest between two clubs with contrasting recent performances. Athletic Bilbao currently occupies the fifth position in La Liga and has demonstrated formidable home strength, recording only one loss in their last 31 competitive matches at home . They enter this fixture with momentum from three consecutive victories in the Europa League, positioning them favorably against an Elfsborg side struggling to find consistency.
Athletic come into this matchday five encounter against Swedish club Elfsborg in fine form having won three and drawn one in the Europa League so far. They are riding a seven-match unbeaten run in all competitions and come off an excellent 1-0 win over Basque rivals Real Sociedad in La Liga at the weekend.
There is every chance that Ernesto Valverde will rotate his team for this match and he could well hand a start to returning star goalkeeper Unai Simon who has had a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup: Simon; Gorosabel, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Prados; I. Williams, Berenguer, N. Williams; Guruzeta
Elfsborg possible starting lineup: Pettersson; Holmen, Buhari, Yegbe; Hedlund, Ouma, Baldursson, Hult; Zeneli, Qasem, Baidoo
The Red and Whites are fifth in La Liga and beat Real Sociedad 1-0 at the weekend. They are unbeaten in their last seven matches since losing at Girona. At home, Bilbao have gone seven games without defeat with four of the last five won.
Elfsborg are currently in the final unseeded play-off position and two points adrift of being seeded. The Yellow Ones have only won one of their four games in this league phase. That was a 1-0 home victory over Roma. They drew their other home game with Braga but it's been a struggle on the road. They have lost at both AZ and Galatasary with seven goals being conceded.
Elfsborg's recent form has been less impressive, as they hold a record of one win and two losses in their last four Europa League outings. Their defensive vulnerabilities were evident after conceding seven goals in previous matches . Although they recently managed a draw against Braga, expectations remain low for their performance against a dominant Bilbao side. Predictions suggest a likely victory for the hosts, with scores estimated ranging from 2-1 to as high as 3-1.
In terms of lineups, while specific details are not fully disclosed, it is anticipated that Athletic Bilbao will field a strong team led by key players such as Iñaki Williams and Unai Simon . Conversely, Elfsborg is expected to present their best XI despite recent challenges. Overall, given Athletic Bilbao's robust home advantage and superior form entering this matchup, they are favored to secure all three points against Elfsborg.
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