San Mamés is set for a high-stakes showdown as Athletic Bilbao welcome Viktoria Plzen in a crucial UEFA Europa League clash on Thursday. The hosts, sitting comfortably in third place, have already secured a spot in the knockout-round playoffs, but they won’t settle for anything less than a direct ticket to the last 16.
Plzen, meanwhile, are fighting for survival. With three wins to their name, the Czech side sits in 11th place and desperately need a victory to guarantee automatic progression. The pressure is all on them, while Bilbao can afford a draw and still advance.
With the electric atmosphere of San Mamés behind them, the Basque side will be aiming to finish the job in style. But with everything on the line for Plzen, expect a fierce battle where every moment counts.
Athletic Bilbao are stumbling at a crucial moment, with just one win in their last five games. Their 4-1 humiliation at the hands of Besiktas in the Europa League was a brutal wake-up call, and a frustrating goalless draw against Legends in La Liga did little to restore confidence.
San Mamés has been a fortress at times, with three wins in their last six home games, but inconsistency continues to haunt Ernesto Valverde’s side. Can they shake off their struggles and rise to the occasion on Thursday night?
Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta is ruled out with a hamstring injury from the Besiktas clash, forcing Valverde to consider some much-needed changes. Oscar de Marcos, Aitor Paredes, Yuri Berchiche, Benat Prados, and Unai Gomez are all pushing for a starting spot, while Alvaro Djalo is back in training and could make an impact off the bench.
With their European fate still hanging in the balance, Bilbao must find their fire—and fast. Will they rediscover their winning touch, or will Plzen take advantage of their slump?
ATHLETIC BILBAO predicted lineup vs VIKTORIA PLZEN: Agirrezabala (GK); De Marcos, Paredes, Vivian, Berchiche; Prados, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Gomez, N. Williams; Guruzeta.
Viktoria Plzen couldn’t have asked for a better start to the year, easing past Anderlecht with a 2-0 victory in the Europa League last week. Lukas Cerv and Prince Kwabena Add found the net early, both assisted by the ever-reliable Matej Vydra, setting the tone for their European ambitions.
Momentum is on their side—three wins in their last six league outings and an impressive three victories from five away matches in the Europa League this season prove they are no strangers to getting results on the road.
However, they may be missing key midfielder Cheick Souare, who sat out the Anderlecht win due to injury. Meanwhile, new signings Merchas Doski and Amar Memic won’t be eligible to feature in the league phase of the competition just yet.
With the Czech league still on its winter break, Plzen arrives in Bilbao fresher than their hosts, which could play into their hands. Manager Miroslav Koubek may well stick with the same winning XI, hoping to spring a surprise under the lights at San Mamés. Can Plzen capitalize on Bilbao’s dip in form and punch their ticket to the Round of 16?
VIKTORIA PLZEN predicted lineup vs ATHLETIC BILBAO: Jedlicka (GK); Dweh, Markovic, Jemelka; Cadu, Cerv, Kalvach, Sulc, Havel; Adu, Vydra.
Athletic Bilbao may have stumbled through the start of 2025, but when it comes to European nights at San Mamés, they’ve been unstoppable. Three home wins from three in the Europa League prove that this fortress remains a nightmare for visiting teams.
Despite their recent struggles, the roar of their passionate supporters could ignite another dominant display on Thursday. With a knockout spot already secured, Bilbao will be eager to put their shaky form behind them and send a statement with a commanding victory. Expect them to rise to the occasion and claim all three points under the floodlights.
Prediction: Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Viktoria Plzen.
