Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid: Preview, Prediction, Lineups | La Liga 2025/26

Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Match Preview

A heavyweight La Liga clash takes center stage at San Mamés this Saturday night as Athletic Bilbao host Atlético Madrid.¹ Both sides are looking to rebound from painful defeats in the midweek round.

Athletic Bilbao, sitting 8th, were humbled 3-0 at home by Real Madrid just days ago.² Ernesto Valverde’s side is in the midst of a severe injury crisis, missing key pillars like Iñaki Williams and Yeray Álvarez.³ The “Lions” need to turn San Mamés into a fortress again to stay in touch with the European spots.

Atlético Madrid, currently 4th, saw their title hopes take a hit with a 3-1 loss to league leaders Barcelona.⁴ Diego Simeone’s men have been inconsistent, mixing impressive wins (like the 2-1 victory over Inter in the Champions League) with frustrating league setbacks. With a depleted defense and midfield, Los Colchoneros face a stern test of character in the Basque Country.

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Quick Match Info

• Fixture: Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid
• Competition: La Liga (Matchday 16)
• Venue: Estadio San Mamés, Bilbao (Capacity: 53,331)
• Date: Saturday, 06 December 2025
• Kickoff Time: 21:00 CET / 20:00 GMT / 01:30 IST (Sunday)
• Referee: TBC
• TV Channel (UK): LaLigaTV, Premier Sports
• TV Channel (USA): ESPN+, ESPN Deportes
• TV Channel (India): GXR, Sports18
• Live Stream: ESPN+ (USA), GXR (India)

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Match Context (2025/26 Season)

Athletic Bilbao:

• Position: 8th in La Liga (20 Points).
• Form: Inconsistent. They have lost 3 of their last 5 games in all competitions, including heavy defeats to Barcelona (0-4) and Real Madrid (0-3).
• Current Challenge: An injury nightmare. Missing the pace of Iñaki Williams and the grit of Yeray and Prados has left them vulnerable at both ends of the pitch.

Atlético Madrid:

• Position: 4th in La Liga (31 Points).
• Form: Solid but stuttering. While they have 9 wins in the league, the loss to Barcelona showed the gap to the very top.
• Current Challenge: Defensive reshuffle. With Giménez and Le Normand out, Simeone has to improvise a backline capable of handling the intense atmosphere of San Mamés.

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — What’s at Stake

For Athletic Bilbao:

• Stopping the Rot: A third consecutive heavy defeat against a “Big 3” team would be demoralizing. They need a result to restore faith and prove they can compete with the elite despite injuries.

For Atlético Madrid:

• Top 4 Security: With teams behind them closing in, Atlético need points to solidify their Champions League spot. A win would also keep them mathematically in the title conversation.

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Team Form

Athletic Bilbao (Last 5 Matches):

• L vs Real Madrid (0-3)
• W vs Levante (2-0)
• D vs Slavia Prague (0-0 – CL)
• L vs Barcelona (0-4)
• W vs Real Oviedo (1-0)

Atlético Madrid (Last 5 Matches):

• L vs Barcelona (1-3)
• W vs Real Oviedo (2-0)
• W vs Inter Milan (2-1 – CL)
• W vs Getafe (1-0)
• W vs Levante (3-1)

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Team News

Athletic Bilbao:

• Suspension Return: Key midfielder Oihan Sancet returns from suspension, providing a massive boost to the attack.¹⁷
• Injury Crisis: The list is long. Iñaki Williams (Groin), Yeray Álvarez (Doping Ban), Beñat Prados (Knee), and Unai Egiluz (Knee) are all out.
• Questionable: Robert Navarro (Ankle) is a major doubt.
• Attack: With Iñaki out, the burden falls on Nico Williams and Gorka Guruzeta to provide the goals.

Atlético Madrid:

• Absences: Marcos Llorente (Muscle) and José María Giménez (Muscle) are significant losses for the defense and midfield engine. Álex Baena (Injury) is also unavailable.
• Defense: Robin Le Normand (Knee) remains a doubt/out. Simeone will likely rely on Axel Witsel and Clement Lenglet in central defense.
• Midfield: Johnny Cardoso is questionable. Pablo Barrios and Koke will likely anchor the midfield.

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Head to Head

• 02 Mar 2025: Atlético 1–0 Athletic (La Liga)
• 31 Aug 2024: Athletic 0–1 Atlético (La Liga)
• 28 Apr 2024: Atlético 3–1 Athletic (La Liga)
• 01 Mar 2024: Athletic 3–0 Atlético (Copa del Rey)
• 08 Feb 2024: Atlético 0–1 Athletic (Copa del Rey)

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Predicted Lineups

Athletic Bilbao (4-2-3-1):

Valverde welcomes back Sancet to link the play.²²

• GK: Unai Simón²³
• RB: Óscar de Marcos (C)
• CB: Dani Vivian²⁴
• CB: Aitor Paredes²⁵
• LB: Yuri Berchiche²⁶
• CDM: Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta²⁷
• CDM: Mikel Jauregizar²⁸
• RW: Álex Berenguer²⁹
• CAM: Oihan Sancet (Returning)³⁰
• LW: Nico Williams³¹
• ST: Gorka Guruzeta³²

Atlético Madrid (5-3-2):

Simeone likely shifts to a back five to protect his makeshift defense.

• GK: Jan Oblak³³
• RWB: Nahuel Molina³⁴
• CB: César Azpilicueta
• CB: Axel Witsel
• CB: Clement Lenglet³⁵
• LWB: Samuel Lino
• CM: Koke (C)³⁶
• CM: Conor Gallagher³⁷
• CM: Pablo Barrios³⁸
• ST: Antoine Griezmann³⁹
• ST: Julián Álvarez⁴⁰

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Impact Bench Options

Athletic Bilbao:

• Unai Gómez: The energetic midfielder can change the tempo if Athletic need to press higher in the second half.
• Álvaro Djaló: Offers pace and trickery off the bench if Nico Williams is double-marked.

Atlético Madrid:

• Alexander Sørloth: The Norwegian giant is the perfect “Plan B” if Atlético need to bypass the midfield and go direct.
• Rodrigo Riquelme: Adds creativity and dribbling ability against tired legs.

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Tactical Outlook

Athletic Bilbao:

• Playing Style: Intensity & Width. Even without Iñaki, Athletic will try to play at a high tempo at San Mamés. They will look to isolate Nico Williams against Molina and feed crosses into Guruzeta. Sancet’s return gives them a player who can drive through the middle.
• Weakness: Defensive Depth. Without Yeray, the Vivian-Paredes partnership can be exposed by clever movement. Real Madrid exploited this ruthlessly.

Atlético Madrid:

• Playing Style: Compact Counter. Simeone will set up a low block to frustrate the home crowd. They will rely on Griezmann’s vision to release Julián Álvarez into the channels behind Athletic’s full-backs.
• Strength: Clinical Duo. Griezmann and Álvarez don’t need many chances to score. If Athletic overcommit, they will be punished.

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Key Battles

Matchup	Battle Type	Edge
Nico Williams vs. Nahuel Molina	Speed vs. Positioning: Nico is the most dangerous player on the pitch. Molina struggles against pace. This is Athletic’s main route to goal.	Athletic
Oihan Sancet vs. Koke	The Engine Room: Sancet returns fresh. Koke has played a lot of minutes. Sancet’s driving runs could overrun the veteran Atlético captain.	Athletic
Dani Vivian vs. Julián Álvarez	Agility Test: Vivian is strong but Álvarez is elusive. If Álvarez drags Vivian out of position, space opens up for Griezmann.	Atlético

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Spotlight Players

Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao):

With his brother Iñaki out, Nico is the face of the team. He was kept quiet by Real Madrid but will be desperate to shine. His 1v1 ability can destroy Atlético’s 5-man defense if he gets isolated with a defender.

Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid):

The Frenchman loves playing at San Mamés. His intelligence allows him to find pockets of space that others can’t see. In a game likely to be tight and tactical, his set-piece delivery or a moment of genius could be the difference.

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Fan Reactions

Athletic Fans:

“Sancet is back, thank god. We looked lost without him against Madrid.”

“No Iñaki against Atlético is tough. We need the crowd to be the 12th man.”

Atlético Fans:

“San Mamés is always a nightmare. A draw wouldn’t be the worst result given our injuries.”

“Griezmann and Álvarez need to step up. We can’t let Barcelona get further ahead.”

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Match-Defining Factors

• Sancet’s Return: Athletic look like a different team with him. His ability to link midfield and attack was sorely missed in the 0-3 loss.
• Atlético’s makeshift defense: Can Witsel and Lenglet handle the physicality of Guruzeta and the speed of Nico Williams for 90 minutes?
• The San Mamés Factor: Athletic usually start fast at home. If they score early, Atlético will have to come out, which opens the game up.

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Prediction

Score Prediction: Athletic Bilbao 1–1 Atlético Madrid

Betting Insights:

• Outcome: Draw.
• Total Goals: Under 2.5 Goals (Both teams missing key attackers/creators; Simeone will be cautious).
• Card Count: Over 5.5 Cards (This fixture is historically feisty).

Analysis: Athletic are depleted but playing at home with Sancet back makes them competitive. Atlético have more quality upfront but are missing their defensive leaders (Giménez/Le Normand). A gritty, low-scoring draw seems the most likely outcome as both teams try to avoid another defeat.

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — Final Word

It’s a battle of two wounded animals at the Cathedral of football. Athletic Bilbao are desperate to stop their slide, while Atlético Madrid need to prove they have the depth to compete. Expect a physical, tactical chess match where neither manager will want to give an inch.

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Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid — FAQs

When is the Athletic vs Atlético match?

The match kicks off on Saturday, 06 December 2025, at 21:00 CET (Sunday 01:30 IST).

Is Iñaki Williams playing?

No, Iñaki Williams is out with a groin injury.41

Is Marcos Llorente playing?

No, Marcos Llorente is ruled out with a muscle injury.

Where can I watch the match in India?

You can watch the match live on GXR and Sports18.

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