Athletic Bilbao turn their attention to the Copa del Rey with a trip to Barcelona to face Prat this Thursday, October 29. The Round of 128 match will kick off at 21:00 local time at the Municipal de Hospitalet, an artificial pitch that adds an extra factor for the Basque side.
The team arrives at the fixture after a mixed week in LaLiga. The 4-0 thrashing of Getafe last Saturday helped steady the ship following two consecutive defeats. That victory left Athletic in eighth place in the table, with 12 points from nine games, coming from three wins, three draws and three losses. The side has scored 12 goals and conceded 9 in the domestic league.
Recent form
The last performance was the most convincing. Alex Berenguer opened the scoring and then provided three assists for goals from Iñaki Williams, Aitor Paredes and Yuri Berchiche. This win broke a run of two matches without a victory, which included a loss to Levante (3-1) and a goalless draw with Valencia. In that match against Levante, the only Athletic goal was scored by Alex Berenguer from the penalty spot. The record from the last five outings is one win, two draws and two losses, with a sequence of results that includes two straight losses before the win over Getafe. The starting lineup is expected to include several key players, though with possible rotations.
The setting and the opponent
The match will be played at Prat's ground, a team competing in the Lliga Elit, the fifth tier of Spanish football. The synthetic surface at Municipal de Hospitalet is an element Athletic have considered during their preparation. Goalkeeper Unai Simón referred to the details of the build-up.
For Athletic, this cup represents a significant opportunity in a season where they sit 15 points off the top, a considerable gap in the title race. The team wants to progress in the competition and add a win that builds on the good play shown against Getafe.
The club approaches the match as a single-leg knockout tie, with the obligation to impose their quality and avoid an upset. After this commitment, focus will shift back to LaLiga, where the next opponent is Alavés.
