Preview: Athletic Bilbao vs Sporting Lisbon - prediction, team news, lineups

Knowing that victory would boost their chance of sealing a place in the Champions League knockout playoffs, Athletic Bilbao welcome Sporting Lisbon to San Mames on Wednesday for matchday eight of the league phase.

The 23rd-placed hosts sit above Napoli in 25th and Copenhagen in 26th on goal difference, while that same metric leaves the 10th-placed visitors just outside the top eight, adding an intriguing edge to the contest.

Match preview

Athletic began their league-phase campaign with three defeats in their opening four matches (W1) but have shown greater resilience in the latter stages, remaining unbeaten in their last three continental outings (W1, D2).

Goalless draws away to unfancied Slavia Prague and at home against holders Paris Saint-Germain would draw contrasting reactions, though last week’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Atalanta in Bergamo unquestionably provided the Red and Whites with their biggest moment of the resurgence.

A much-improved second-half display saw Ernesto Valverde’s men overturn a first-half deficit through goals from Gorka Guruzeta, Nico Serrano and Robert Navarro, rendering Nikola Krstovic’s late effort insufficient to spark a dramatic comeback for the Italian side.

Another victory on Wednesday should guarantee Athletic a top-24 finish, although results elsewhere may also come into play, and the Basque outfit can take confidence from their strong European record at San Mames, having won seven of their last 10 UEFA matches at the ground (D2, L1).

However, recent performances on home soil have been less convincing, with Bilbao losing three of their last six such games across all competitions (W2, D1), a sequence that has contributed to their wider struggles.

Athletic have now suffered six defeats in their last 12 matches (W4, D2), including a 2-1 reverse away at Sevilla at the weekend, with the result leaving the Basque club 12th in the La Liga table.

Sporting arrive in Spain sitting second in the Primeira Liga table and seven points adrift of leaders Porto, having won each of their last three matches across all competitions, most recently securing a 2-1 victory away at Arouca on Saturday.

Luis Suarez scored twice in that encounter, including a stoppage-time strike, making it the second consecutive game in which the Colombian striker has proved decisive after his brace, capped by a late winner, sealed a dramatic 2-1 Champions League victory over PSG four days earlier.

That result preserved Sporting’s perfect home record in the competition this season, having taken full spoils in all four games, though Rui Borges’s men remain winless in their three away matches of the current campaign (D1, L2) and in six stretching back to last term (D2, L4).

The challenge does not ease on Wednesday, as the Lions have failed to record victory in any of their 14 previous UEFA competition visits to Spanish opposition (D4, L10), including defeats on both of their prior trips to Bilbao.
 

Athletic Bilbao Champions League form:

Athletic Bilbao form (all competitions):

Sporting Lisbon Champions League form:

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

Team News

Athletic continue to battle injuries, with Inaki Williams, Maroan Sannadi, Benat Prados, Unai Egiluz and Aymeric Laporte all still sidelined.

Mikel Jauregizar Alboniga collected his third yellow card of the league phase against Atalanta and will therefore serve a match ban due to an accumulation of bookings.

Gorka Guruzeta returns to the squad after missing league action at the weekend through suspension and will look to extend his fine continental record, having scored four goals across his last five Champions League appearances for Athletic.

Suarez has also been influential for Sporting in Europe, finding the net four times in his last six appearances, and arrives full of confidence.

The visitors remain without Fotis Ioannidis, Eduardo Quaresma, Nuno Santos and Geovany Quenda due to injury, while January signing Luis Guilherme is ineligible to feature in the league phase.
 

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:

Simon; Areso, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche; Vesga, Galarreta; Navarro, Sancet, Williams; Guruzeta

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Silva; Fresneda, Inacio, Reis, Mangas; Simoes, Hjulmand; Catamo, Trincao, Araujo; Suarez

We say: Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Sporting Lisbon

This fixture has historically favoured the hosts, with all four previous competitive meetings ending in home victories, split evenly between the two sides.

With Athletic knowing that anything other than a win would further dent their hopes of reaching the knockout playoffs, the Basque side can expect the backing of a packed San Mames, which could tilt the encounter in their favour.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.