In-form Bilbao bid to gatecrash LaLiga title race

With Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid separated by one point at the top of LaLiga, the title battle appears to be a three-horse race.

However, Athletic Bilbao can put themselves right back in contention with a win this weekend.

The top three were involved in Copa del Rey action in midweek and also have the Champions League on their minds.

But while two is company and three is a crowd, Bilbao would love to gatecrash the party.

They thrashed Real Valladolid 7-1 last weekend to extend their unbeaten league run to 16 games and, though they are still five points off third-placed Atletico, a win over Diego Simeone’s side on Saturday would put the Basque club right in contention.

Ice in his veins.

@willliamsssnico#AtletiAthletic #AthleticClub pic.twitter.com/AMfiwwnna4

— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) February 27, 2025

They take on an Atleti outfit who are in the middle of some titanic clashes with the top two.

Atleti played out a thrilling 4-4 draw at Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg and, three days after hosting Bilbao, they face a Champions League last-16 tie at Real Madrid.

Bilbao will have a little more time before their Europa League adventure continues when they visit Roma on March 6, but they have injury worries.

While winger Nico Williams, who has five assists and three goals in LaLiga this term, should recover from the flu which kept him out of midweek training, midfielder Oihan Sancet is a major doubt.

Sancet is the club’s top scorer this season with 13 league goals, six of those coming in the last four games, but was taken off in Sunday’s win over Valladolid with a thigh injury.

Atleti also have further cause for optimism given Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde has lost 10 of his 19 LaLiga matches against Simeone (W4 D5), his most defeats against a single coach in the competition.

Indeed, Simeone has not lost any of his 13 home games against Bilbao in LaLiga (W11 D2); only against Valencia (G14 W10 D4) has he managed more home games without defeat in the competition (13 also against Getafe, Celta Vigo and Sevilla).

Barcelona lead the way on 54 points, a run of six successive wins taking them back to the top ahead of Real Madrid on goal difference, and they host Real Sociedad on Sunday before heading to Lisbon for Wednesday’s Champions League game with Benfica.

FOURTY goal involvements this season. @FCBarcelona