Wednesday, April 23rd, at the San Mamés in Bilbao, Athletic Club have the chance to strengthen their Champions League hopes as they host relegation-battling Las Palmas. The home side come into this match after a narrow 1-0 defeat away to Real Madrid, with the deciding goal arriving in stoppage time, ending an eight-game unbeaten run in La Liga. However, this setback doesn’t derail their ambitions for a Champions League spot, especially with Spain being granted five qualification spots this year. Coach Ernesto Valverde will be keen to hold onto the fourth position they’ve earned so far, and a win here would help keep Villarreal (currently five points behind with a game in hand) and Real Betis at bay. Moreover, securing points now will allow them to approach their UEFA Europa League semi-final in early May with more peace of mind. Las Palmas, on the other hand, travel to the Basque Country full of confidence after a shock 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid last weekend — a crucial win that lifted them out of the relegation zone, albeit by just a single point. Manager Diego Martínez Penas knows there's no room for complacency, and his side will aim to pull off another upset at San Mamés.

Athletic Club's Recent Form and Key Stats

In their last five matches across all competitions, Athletic Club have recorded 2 wins, 2 draws, and just 1 defeat — that 1-0 loss against Real Madrid courtesy of a last-gasp goal by Fede Valverde. Prior to that, they had gone on an impressive eight-game unbeaten run.

The Basques currently sit fourth in the table with 57 points from 32 games. They boast La Liga’s second-best defensive record with only 26 goals conceded (0.81 per game). At San Mamés, they are unbeaten since January 16th, when they lost 3-2 to Osasuna in the Copa del Rey.

Las Palmas' Recent Form and Key Stats

Las Palmas are in high spirits after back-to-back wins against Getafe and Atletico Madrid — the latter sealed with Javier Muñoz’s first goal of the season. This recent form has helped them climb to 17th in the table with 32 points, just one above 18th-placed Alaves.

Defensively, however, they continue to struggle — conceding 52 goals in 32 games (1.63 per match), which is the second-worst record in La Liga. Offensively, they average 1.19 goals per game. On the road, they have managed just one win in their last eight La Liga away matches (3 draws, 4 losses).

Athletic Club vs Las Palmas Prediction and Tactical Overview

Athletic Club have a golden opportunity to capitalize on their technical superiority and secure three crucial points to edge closer to Champions League qualification. With Europa League semifinals against Manchester United coming up, Valverde’s side will want to take care of business in La Liga early.

Despite Las Palmas’ recent form and urgent need for survival points, they remain a beatable opponent — as shown in the reverse fixture, which Athletic won 3-2 despite playing much of the second half with ten men. In fact, Valverde’s men have won the last three head-to-head meetings between these two clubs.

Even if Nico Williams misses the game through injury, the BetMines algorithm prediction for Athletic Club vs Las Palmas leans toward the home side. 

• BetMines Algorithm prediction for Athletic Club vs Las Palmas predicts the sign 1 at 73%
• BetMines Algorithm prediction for Athletic Club vs Las Palmas predicts the sign X at 17%
• BetMines Algorithm prediction for Athletic Club vs Las Palmas predicts the sign 2 at 10%

Athletic Club vs Las Palmas Predicted Lineups

Athletic Club (4-2-3-1): Simon; Gorosabel, Vivian, Paredes, Boiro; Jauregizar, Prados Diaz; Djalo, Sancet, Berenguer; Guruzeta. Manager: Valverde

Las Palmas (4-4-2): Horkas; Viti, Herzog, McKenna, Marmol; Ramirez, Bajcetic, Essugo, Moleiro; McBurnie, Mata. Manager: Penas