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Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao lock horns in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final clash on Wednesday (March 1).
Ernesto Valverde’s side are unbeaten in four games at the El Sadar Stadium against the hosts and will look to continue in the same vein.
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Osasuna returned to winning ways in La Liga, edging out Sevilla 3-2 at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Sunday.
Before that, Los Rojillos were winless in four league games, picking up two points from a possible 12. Osasuna have enjoyed a stellar Copa del Rey campaign, claiming victories over the likes of Real Betis and Sevilla en route to the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, after easing past Alzira, Sestao River and Eldense in the opening three rounds, Bilbao saw off the threat of Espanyol and Valencia to reach the last four.
Valverde’s men appear to have run out of steam in recent weeks, as they head into Wednesday on a run of successive league defeats, including a 3-2 loss against Girona on Sunday.
Bilbao are ninth in the La Liga standings with 32 points from 23 games, one point and a place off Osasuna.
Osasuna vs Athletic Bilbao Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- With 19 wins from the last 41 meetings, Bilbao boasts a superior record in the fixture.
- Osasuna have picked up 11 wins in that period, while the spoils have been shared on 11 occasions.
- Valverde’s side are unbeaten in four games against Osasuna, claiming two wins and as many draws since a 1-0 loss in October 2020.
- Osasuna have managed just one win in their last five games, claiming two draws and losing twice.
- Bilbao have conceded just twice in the Copa del Rey this season, scoring an impressive 13 goals in five games.
Osasuna vs Athletic Bilbao Prediction
Bilbao will be without a few key players, giving Osasuna a slight edge. Buoyed by an impressive display against Sevilla, the hosts will head into the midweek clash with renewed confidence and should claim a narrow first-leg win.
Prediction: Osasuna 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
Osasuna vs Athletic Bilbao Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Osasuna
Tip 2: First to score - Osasuna (Bilbao have conceded first in four of their last five games.)
Tip 3: Both sides to score - Yes (Osasuna have not kept a clean sheet in seven of their last eight games.)
