Valencia Seek to Halt Slide as Athletic Bilbao Arrive with Unbeaten Run

Valencia vs Athletic Bilbao - 10/17/2026

10/13/2026 96

All eyes turn to Mestalla, where Valencia, still trying to steady themselves under Javier Aguirre, welcome an Athletic Club side adapting to Edin Terzic and carrying a four-match unbeaten run into a demanding La Liga trip.

Key Points

• Valencia sit 19th after eight matches, with one win, five points and 15 goals conceded.
• Aguirre’s first match in charge produced a 2-2 draw at Racing Santander, with Dani Raba and David Otorbi scoring.
• Athletic are unbeaten in four, although their scheduled trip to Rayo Vallecano was postponed and their last league game was a 0-0 draw with Alavés.
• Nico Williams and Oihan Sancet are major Athletic concerns, while Diego López is a confirmed Valencia absentee after knee surgery.
• Prediction: Athletic Bilbao win, with a 43% away-win probability.

Recent Form

Valencia's start to the new campaign leaves much to be desired. They have managed just one win in their last six matches, accompanied by a draw and four defeats. Offensively, the team has struggled, averaging only one goal across this period while conceding an average of 2.33. On home turf, the situation becomes even more pressing: the last three fixtures at Mestalla have produced three straight losses, with just 0.67 goals scored per match and three conceded on average.

By contrast, Athletic Bilbao are showing signs of improvement. Over their past six games, the Basque club have claimed two wins, drawn twice and dropped two matches, scoring 1.17 and conceding only one per game on average. Bilbao's last four fixtures have not ended in defeat, highlighting a newfound resilience, even if their cancelled trip to Rayo has left them short of competitive rhythm.

Recent History

Head-to-head, the scales tip marginally towards Athletic Bilbao. Across the preceding five encounters between these sides, Bilbao have triumphed three times while Valencia have claimed two victories. Looking further back, Valencia have lost six out of the last twelve meetings with the Basque side, underlining the challenge that lies ahead for the hosts.

Overall Performance

Valencia currently find themselves in a precarious position, sitting 19th in the league standings after eight games, with only one win to their name. Defensively, the figures are concerning, as they have conceded 15 times already, registering a negative goal difference of minus nine and putting pressure on an already fragile backline. Their offensive struggles have not been helped by a lack of creativity, as the team musters just 0.75 goals per match on average.

Main Trends

Valencia's ongoing struggles are evident across a range of metrics. They have failed to win in 88% of their last eight matches, lost 50% over their last ten, and are winless in 86% of their past seven at home. Athletic Bilbao, though only moderately better overall, have lost 55% of their last 20 games, but crucially remain undefeated in their last four outings. Away from San Mamés, however, they remain winless in 8 of their last 10 games and have lost 58% of their last 12 away matches. Notably, Bilbao have lost by two or more goals in 40% of their last 10 overall matches and five of their last 12 away games.

Key Match Data

Recent matches provide further context. Valencia’s last match saw them draw with Racing Santander 2-2, with Raba striking early, Otorbi rescuing a point and Dimitrievski making an important late save. Bilbao’s most recent La Liga outing was a 0-0 draw with Deportivo Alavés, a match they dominated for long spells but failed to convert, including a missed Sancet penalty. In their respective recent matches, only Valencia have been able to beat Deportivo Alavés, underscoring their potential for sporadic strong performances.

Team News and Probable Lineups

Valencia

Goalkeeper: Stole Dimitrievski

Defenders: Pablo Maffeo, Mouctar Diakhaby, Justin de Haas, José Gayà

Midfielders: Pepelu, Guido Rodríguez, Dani Raba, Javi Guerra, Arnaut Danjuma

Attackers: Hugo Duro

Diego López is out after knee surgery, while Aguirre has welcomed back a number of options and used Danjuma, Harvey Elliott and Otorbi from the bench at Racing. Raba’s goal in Aguirre’s first XI should keep him firmly in contention, although Elliott and Otorbi are pushing hard after lively substitute appearances. Valencia are likely to stay close to a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Gayà and Maffeo providing the width behind a more experienced midfield base.

Athletic Bilbao

Goalkeeper: Unai Simón

Defenders: Jesús Areso, Aitor Paredes, Aymeric Laporte, Yuri Berchiche

Midfielders: Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Beñat Gerenabarrena, Peio Canales, Robert Navarro, Alex Berenguer

Attackers: Iñaki Williams

Athletic are dealing with important attacking concerns. Nico Williams and Oihan Sancet are both major doubts after muscle problems, with Sancet’s issue viewed as the more significant setback. Unai Egiluz remains a longer-term absentee, while Dani Vivian and Gorka Guruzeta have returned to the group and give Terzic extra depth. Laporte has quickly become central to the back line when available, and Canales and Berenguer are the leading candidates to help cover the creative gap if Nico and Sancet miss out.

Prediction

The forecast leans toward Athletic Bilbao taking all three points, attributing a 43% probability to an away win. With Valencia winless in 88% of their last eight and Athletic avoiding losses in each of their last four matches, it is reasonable to expect the visitors to assert themselves. The hosts’ defensive vulnerabilities and Bilbao’s recent uptick in performances suggest that the Basque side can capitalize, although a tight contest may still ensue if Valencia rediscover their edge in attack at home.

Athletic’s balance, greater recent stability and 43% away-win probability equip them to extend their undefeated streak and heap further pressure on a Valencia side battling to escape the lower reaches of the table.

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Valencia Athletic Bilbao 17/10/2026 21:00

183943

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66°F

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+250 +250 +105 no no no

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