Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 4/7
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Paris Saint-Germain will seek a fifth victory in the league phase of the 2025-26 Champions League when they visit San Mamés on Wednesday to face Athletic Bilbao.
The defending European champions occupy second place overall with 12 points from five matches, while Athletic sit 27th, having collected just four points so far.
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic have endured a challenging Champions League campaign, earning only four points from five fixtures, which leaves them down in 27th position.
However, the Basque side remain just two points behind 24th-placed FC Pafos in the race for playoff qualification. Their recent form in Europe has improved slightly, with four points from the last three games: a home win over Qarabag on October 22 and a draw with Slavia Prague, sandwiched around a defeat to Newcastle United.
Ernesto Valverde’s team have also struggled to hit top gear domestically, collecting 23 points from 16 La Liga outings—enough for seventh place, eight points adrift of the Champions League spots.
Confidence was boosted at the weekend, though, as Athletic edged Atletico Madrid 1-0 thanks to a late strike from Alex Berenguer.
The Lions will conclude their league-stage campaign with January clashes against Atalanta BC and Sporting Lisbon, so a win here would significantly strengthen their position heading into 2026.
Team News
Aitor Paredes is suspended after receiving his third yellow card of the group stage against Slavia Prague.
Yeray Alvarez remains banned for a doping violation, while Robert Navarro, Benat Prados, Unai Egiluz, Maroan Sannadi, and Inaki Williams are all sidelined through injury.
Aymeric Laporte is also unavailable following the knock sustained versus Atletico, but Nico Williams is expected to feature in attack.
Paris Saint-Germain
PSG have not been flawless in Europe this term, conceding eight goals across five matches, including three in a thrilling 5-3 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur last time out.
Luis Enrique’s men also fell to Bayern Munich at home in early November, yet 12 points from five games keep them second in the standings, three behind Arsenal—the only team with a perfect record.
Les Parisiens lead the scoring charts with 19 goals but defensive frailties remain a concern for Enrique as the knockout rounds approach.
Domestically, PSG are not top of Ligue 1 either; 33 points from 15 fixtures place them second, one point behind leaders Lens. They lost their last away outing to Monaco at the end of November but bounced back emphatically by thrashing Rennes 5-0 on Saturday. Enrique will expect another dominant display here.
Team News
Lucas Hernandez is suspended after his red card against Spurs.
Desire Doue and Achraf Hakimi are confirmed absentees through injury, while Nuno Mendes, Lucas Beraldo, and Lucas Chevalier face late fitness checks.
Ousmane Dembele, yet to start in this competition due to injury, is set to return to the XI, and Bradley Barcola could operate as a false nine.
Conclusion
Athletic’s defensive vulnerabilities make it hard to envision them resisting PSG’s attacking firepower for very long.
With Enrique’s side in strong form and boasting superior quality, an away win looks highly probable.
Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 4/7
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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