Athletic Bilbao travel to face Rayo Vallecano this Saturday at the Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas in La Liga's eighth matchday. The fixture, scheduled for 12:00 UTC, comes at a time when the Basque side needs points to solidify their mid-table position.
The club currently sits tenth with 8 points from two wins, two draws, and two losses in the opening six games. Their last outing was a goalless draw at home to Alavés, a result that highlights defensive solidity but also a struggle to find the net.
Rayo's recent form
The Madrid-based team arrives with mixed form, having won two, drawn one, and lost two of their last five matches. They suffered heavy defeats to Barcelona and Real Madrid in that spell but also secured important wins against Espanyol and Racing Santander. Their most recent starting eleven, against Osasuna, featured players like Unai López and Álvaro García.
Athletic's current state
Athletic's recent trajectory is similar, with one win, two draws, and two losses from their last five. The high points were a convincing 3-0 victory over Atlético Madrid and a 0-2 win in Vigo. However, consecutive home draws against Elche and Alavés have stalled their early momentum. The team will look ahead to the upcoming fixtures schedule after this clash.
Both managers could stick with the formations used last time out. Athletic lined up with Unai Simón in goal, a back four of Louis-Jean, Paredes, Laporte, and Yuri. In midfield, Ruíz de Galarreta and Jauregizar supported an attacking trio featuring the Williams brothers and Oihan Sancet behind Robert Navarro.
The trip to Vallecas represents a chance for Athletic Bilbao to end a two-game winless run and move closer to the European places. The match will be played on Saturday, October 10th.
