Preview: Athletic Bilbao vs Celta Vigo - prediction, team news, lineups

Celta Vigo will be bidding to strengthen their grip on sixth spot in the La Liga table when they make the trip to San Mames on Sunday evening to tackle Athletic Bilbao.

The visitors are currently sixth, two points ahead of seventh-placed Getafe, while Athletic are 10th, four points off the European positions with only two games left to play.

Match preview

Athletic have seen their chances of securing more European football for next season take a huge hit in recent weeks, having lost three of their last four league fixtures, including their last two against Valencia and Espanyol.

The Lions sit ninth in the table, four points behind seventh-placed Getafe, with that position currently being qualification for the Conference League playoff round.

There is no getting away from the fact that it has been a hugely difficult season for Athletic, and there will be big changes this summer, with Ernesto Valverde standing down as head coach; Edin Terzic has already been confirmed as his replacement.

Athletic finished fourth in Spain's top flight last term to secure qualification for the Champions League, but they are facing missing out on Europe altogether for next season.

The Basque outfit have the 10th-best home record in La Liga this season, claiming 29 points from 18 matches, while Celta have the third-best away record, securing 30 points from 18 games.

Celta will actually enter this match off the back of a shock 3-2 defeat to Levante, but they have won two of their last three, overcoming Elche and Atletico Madrid since the start of the month.

The Sky Blues are currently sixth in the table, boasting a record of 13 wins, 11 draws and 12 defeats from 36 matches to collect 50 points, which has left them two points above seventh-placed Getafe and seven from fifth-placed Real Betis.

As it stands, Claudio Giraldez's side will be qualifying for the Europa League league stage, and sixth in the division would be an improvement on seventh from last term.

Celta recorded a 2-0 win over Athletic in the reverse match in Vigo earlier this season, but it was 3-1 to Athletic when the pair met at San Mames last term.

Four of the last six league meetings have been won by Athletic, while the Basque outfit lead the overall head-to-head record 73 victories to Celta's 37.

Athletic Bilbao La Liga form:

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Celta Vigo La Liga form:

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Celta Vigo form (all competitions):

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Team News

Athletic will be without the services of Nico Williams, Dani Vivian and Oihan Sancet through injury on Sunday, while Benat Prados and Yuri Berchiche both need to be assessed.

Inaki Williams started through the middle against Espanyol last time out, but it is likely that he will drop back to the right-sided attacking role here, with Gorka Guruzeta as the centre-forward.

Alex Berenguer is in line to feature off the left, with Robert Navarro potentially operating as the number 10 in the absence of Sancet.

Celta, meanwhile, will be missing both Miguel Roman and Carl Starfelt on Sunday evening due to injury problems.

Ferran Jutgla scored twice against Levante last time out to take him onto nine league goals for the campaign, and there should be another spot in the final third of the field for the Spaniard.

Meanwhile, there are expected to be recalls in the attacking areas for both Borja Iglesias and Williot Swedberg, with the pair featuring as second-half substitutes against Levante.

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:

Simon; Gorosabel, Alvarez, Laporte, Lekue; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; I Williams, Navarro, Berenguer; Guruzeta

Celta Vigo possible starting lineup:

Radu; Alonso, Lago, Rodriguez; Nunez, Lopez, Moriba, Mingueza; Jutgla, Iglesias, Swedberg

We say: Athletic Bilbao 1-2 Celta Vigo

Celta have been excellent on their travels this season, while it has been an underwhelming campaign for Athletic - we are expecting a close match on Sunday, with Celta potentially just doing enough to secure all three points.

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