Celta Vigo - Athletic Club Bilbao predictions and free betting tips [15/05/2024]

On Wednesday, May 15, in the 36th round of the Spanish La Liga, Celta will host Athletic Bilbao. The Galician team is positioned 17th in the overall standings, just five points above the relegation zone, while the Lions are fifth, having effectively lost their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.

Stadium

The match will take place in Vigo at the Balaídos Stadium.

Celta

As expected before the season started, Celta finds themselves in a battle for survival, much like last year when they secured safety in the final round against the already crowned Barcelona. Positioned 17th in the league table, the Sky Blues are five points ahead of Cádiz, still ensuring their place in the top division. Moreover, last weekend, the hosts failed to hold a draw against Atlético Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano (a 1-0 defeat) due to a late goal by De Paul, although before this, they had three wins – over Almería (1-0), Las Palmas (4-1), and Villarreal (3-2).

Seventeen failures this campaign are a lot; only Granada and Almería have suffered more in La Liga this season. The hosts can "boast" the fourth-worst home performance in the division, but the Celts have won three of their last four home games in front of their fans. 

Athletic

After their triumph in the Copa del Rey, Athletic sharply lost momentum and even seemed to lose hope of participating in the Champions League after a 3-1 defeat to their main rivals, Atlético Madrid. The Basques have beaten the Mattress Makers three times this season, including two victories in the Cup semi-finals.

Occupying 5th place in the standings, Ernesto Valverde's players are finishing the campaign on a low note, having won just one of their last six matches (against Getafe away, 0-2). In other fixtures, Athletic drew three times and lost twice. It is important to note that the club from Bilbao ranks fifth in the league for points gained away from home (23 points in 17 away games, 17 goals scored, 17 conceded). 

Head-to-Head Matches

In the first round, Athletic triumphed after Berenguer (6 goals in La Liga) converted a penalty in stoppage time (4-3).

Match Prediction: Celta vs Athletic

Celta have every chance to secure their top-flight status on Wednesday at their home ground, Balaídos, if they beat Athletic. Unbeaten in their last four home matches, the Galicians could very well pull off another feat and challenge the Basques, who seem to have lost hope of finishing in the Champions League spots. Valverde’s team is in a crisis and weakened by injuries, so I predict a victory for the hosts with a 0 handicap.

Total Goals Prediction

In the previous two head-to-head encounters, these teams traded goals. Both have quality attacking lines, so I expect a high-scoring shootout.

Corner Kicks Prediction

Celta, with the support of their home fans, will try to play confidently and will not stay back in their own half. I am betting on an individual total over 3.5 corners for the Celts.

Yellow Cards Prediction

These teams consistently earn a total of four yellow cards in their head-to-head matches, so I confidently bet on a total over 3.5 warning cards.

Score Prediction

I am betting on a 2-1 scoreline in favour of Celta.