Preview:Athletic Bilbao vs Mallorca - prediction, team news, lineups

Athletic Bilbao will be aiming to end a six-game winless run in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign with a home fixture against Mallorca on Saturday evening.

The Lions are currently 10th in the La Liga table, boasting 10 points from their opening seven matches of the campaign, while the visitors are down in 19th, having only collected five points from their first seven games.

Match preview

Athletic will enter Saturday's match off the back of a 4-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, and the Basque outfit are now on a six-game winless run in all competitions.

Ernesto Valverde's side made a flying start to the La Liga season, beating Sevilla, Rayo Vallecano and Real Betis, but they have not been victorious since the end of August.

Athletic have lost their opening two Champions League league-phase matches against Arsenal and Dortmund, while they have picked up just a point from their last four league fixtures, drawing with Girona, in addition to losing to Alaves, Valencia and Villarreal.

The Lions are 10th in the La Liga table, three points behind fourth-placed Elche, but their form is worrying, and they currently look short of being a Champions League outfit.

Athletic have only actually won one of their last seven La Liga matches against Mallorca, and both fixtures between the two sides last season finished level.

Five of the last six La Liga matches between these two sides have finished level, while Mallorca have only lost once away to Athletic in Spain's top flight since September 2021.

Mallorca have found it difficult in the early stages of the 2025-26 campaign, though, only managing to pick up five points from their seven matches, which has left them down in 19th spot in the table.

Jagoba Arrasate's side only picked up one point from their first four league games of the season, but they have claimed four points from their last three fixtures, drawing with Atletico Madrid and beating Alaves either side of a 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad.

The one-goal success over Alaves last time out was much needed, and it arrived courtesy of a first-half effort from Takuma Asano.

The Pirates finished 10th in La Liga last season, only four points off the European spots, so their disappointing start to this season is quite surprising considering the quality in their squad.

Athletic Bilbao La Liga form:

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Athletic Bilbao form (all competitions):

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Mallorca La Liga form:

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Team News

Athletic will be without the services of Benat Prados, Unai Egiluz and Mikel Vesga through injury, while Alex Berenguer is a major doubt for the home fixture with Mallorca.

Yeray Alvarez is also out of the match for the Lions through suspension, with the defender not available again until next April.

Nico Williams is set to return to the squad following a groin problem, though, and that would be a major boost for the Lions considering that he started the season with one goal and two assists in his first three appearances.

As for Mallorca, Marash Kumbulla, Omar Mascarell and Asano will be missing due to injury problems.

Muriqi has been in strong form this season, finding the back of the net on four occasions in six appearances, and there will be another spot in the final third of the field for the 31-year-old.

Asano's absence is a blow considering that he is one of only three Mallorca players to have scored this season.

Mateo Joseph is still waiting for his first goal for his new club, but the 21-year-old is again set to be in the XI.

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:

Simon; Areso, Laporte, Vivian, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; I Williams, Sancet, N Williams; Guruzeta

Mallorca possible starting lineup:

Roman; Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Mojica; Costa, Morlanes; Joseph, Darder, Domenech; Muriqi

We say: Athletic Bilbao 1-1 Mallorca

Five of the last six La Liga matches between these two sides have finished level, and we can see another stalemate on Saturday, as it is difficult to predict a victory for Athletic at this moment in time.

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