Will AZ remain unbeaten against the Basques?
A Spanish-Dutch duel is taking place between Athletic Club and Alkmaar, and you can get a betting tip from us! The hosts started with a respectable 1-1 draw at Roma in the Europa League last week. The visitors, for their part, recorded a win at home. The two-time Dutch champions beat Sweden’s Elfsborg 3-2, most recently in 2009.
Ruben van Bommel turned on the style in particular. The winger, with the famous father Mark van Bommel, himself an ex-Bayern player and Antwerp coach in the Belgian Jupiler League, scored twice and was the man of the match with his double.
Athletic Bilbao – Statistics & current form
The Basques are in stable form. In La Liga, the red and whites have already scored 14 points after seven rounds of matches and are in fourth place in the table with this haul. Against Alkmaar, the San Mames team will also rely on home advantage.
In the domestic league, Bilbao have only been beaten once this season, by Atletico Madrid, who won 1-0. The home strength of the “Leones” is nothing new: in the last edition of La Liga, Athletic did not concede more than one defeat in front of their own fans.
However, coach Ernesto Valverde will likely have to do without Oihan Sancet again in offense. The reliable midfielder was absent twice recently due to a muscle injury and there are signs that the fifth-placed team from the last La Liga edition will be absent again.
Guruzeta returns to Bilbao’s offense
On the other hand, Gorka Guruzeta has improved offensively of late. The striker scored 14 goals in the last La Liga season, but did not get off to a good start in the current edition of the Spanish top flight.
However, he broke his duck on the penultimate matchday, scoring his first goals of the season with a brace against Celta Vigo. Given that the home side, who are strong at home, will be playing for a win on their own turf and that the visiting offense is also in good form, the tip for more than 2.5 goals seems worth considering for the match between Athletic Bilbao and Alkmaar.
Alkmaar – Statistics & current form
The North Hollanders entered the Europa League with a 3-2 victory last week and AZ are also doing well in the league. After seven rounds, the “Kaasboeren” have only lost once and are in third place in the table. With an interim 9-1 win against Heerenveen, they also recorded the highest victory in the Eredivisie so far.
AZ also has plenty of experience on the European stage. Rather, the fourth-placed team from last season’s Eredivisie has been a regular in the Europa and Conference Leagues in recent years. Furthermore, the guests have enjoyed success when they have played in these competitions.
One example is the penultimate season in the Conference League. In this, the kickers from the AFAS Stadium marched to the semi-finals, where they lost out to the eventual winners West Ham.
Will AZ get a point in Bilbao?
In view of this, a draw is also worth considering in the clash between Athletic Bilbao and Alkmaar. Although the hosts are, as described, strong at home, but from a playful point of view, the team of coach Maarten Martens can currently keep up, which is why a close game at San Mames is on the cards.
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However, the visitors’ defense has weakened somewhat. After keeping a clean sheet in each of the first four competitive matches this season, AZ has conceded at least one goal in each of the last four matches at home and away.
Athletic Bilbao – Alkmaar Head to head / H2H record
The Rojiblancos and the four-time Dutch Cup winners have already met twice. The matches were played in the group stage of the 2015 Europa League and a 2-1 home win for Alkmaar was followed by a 2-2 draw in the Basque Country. On the other hand, the visitors have now gone three matches without a win against Spanish clubs (0-1-2) and the last such success dates back to 2006, when AZ won 2-1 against Sevilla.
Athletic Bilbao – Alkmaar Tip
For the showdown between Athletic Bilbao and Alkmaar, the tip for a goal celebration on both sides seems profitable. The home side’s home advantage speaks in favor of a goal. Only in the only defeat in front of their own fans against Atletico Madrid this season were the Basques denied a goal of their own.
On top of that, the guests’ defense has recently weakened. At the same time, AZ has a strong offense. In the domestic Eredivisie, Alkmaar has the second-highest number of goals after the new goal machine called “PSV” and also when entering the Europa League, there was no lack of goals of their own.
Elfsborg were beaten 3-2 in the opening game. Furthermore, it would be a match that could be observed in the two meetings between the two clubs in the Europa League nine years ago.
