Athletic Club vs Alavés | LaLiga Matchday 4 Preview
Saturday’s clash at San Mamés between Athletic Club and Deportivo Alavés promises to be a gripping Basque derby. Athletic have made a flying start to their 2025-26 LaLiga campaign, while Alavés are looking to build momentum. This preview covers form, lineups, key storylines, and predictions ahead of the game.
Current Form & Table Position
Athletic Club come into this match unbeaten in LaLiga, having won their opening three games against Sevilla, Rayo Vallecano, and Real Betis. With 9 points, they sit in second place, level with Real Madrid.
Alavés have had a mixed start: they picked up 4 points from three matches (one win, one draw, one defeat) and currently sit around 11th place.
Athletic’s strong home record is a factor: San Mamés has been a fortress, especially in recent seasons. Alavés, meanwhile, have struggled somewhat on the road.
Team News & Injuries
Athletic Club:
Image – Athletic Club (Official Website)
Nico Williams is a doubt after picking up a moderate adductor injury while with Spain.
Beñat Prados is also unavailable due to a knee sprain.
On the brighter side, Iñaki Williams, Oihan Sancet, Vivian, and Unai Simón have returned from international duty and trained without issues.
Lekue and young forward Nico Serrano have resumed group training, though Lekue might still have some restrictions.
Alavés:
Image – Deportivo Alavés (Official Website)
Their recent signing, Lucas Boyé, remains unavailable as he continues to recover from a knee ligament issue.
Other fitness issues seem to be present, though none as high profile as Boyé’s for Alavés.
Predicted Lineups
Here are the likely starting XI’s based on recent reports and predicted formations (both teams expected to line up in variants of a 4-2-3-1).
| Athletic Club (4-2-3-1) | Position | Deportivo Alavés (4-2-3-1) |
|---|---|---|
| U. Simón | Goalkeeper | A. Sivera |
| J. Areso | Right Back | J. Otto |
| D. Vivian | Centre Back | F. Garcés |
| A. Paredes | Centre Back | N. Tenaglia |
| Y. Berchiche | Left Back | M. Diarra |
| B. Prados | Midfield Pivot | A. Blanco |
| M. Jauregizar | Midfield Pivot | P. Ibáñez |
| Á. Berenguer | Right Wing | C. Vicente |
| O. Sancet | Attacking Mid | J. Guridi |
| I. Williams | Left Wing | C. Aleñá |
| M. Sannadi | Striker | T. Martínez |
Key Storylines
- Laporte Rejoins Athletic – Aymeric Laporte has been re-signed by Athletic Bilbao until 2028. Although this is a boost for defensive depth, whether he’ll slot into the XI immediately or later remains to be seen.
- Nico Williams’ Injury – His possible absence is significant. As one of Athletic’s more direct attacking weapons, losing him reduces pace and unpredictability. It could force Valverde to lean more heavily on Sancet, Berenguer, or the returning Prados (when fit) for creativity.
- Alavés’ Away Game Challenges – Historically, Alavés have not had much success at San Mamés. Their away form is patchy, and going into this match without their full strength (like Boyé) makes the task tougher.
- Pressure of Continuity for Athletic – Having won all their opening matches, Athletic will be under pressure to maintain momentum, especially with their Champions League campaign just around the corner. Resting or rotating certain players might be tricky.
- Alavés’ Defensive Stability vs Athletic’s Attack – If Alavés can stay organized, limit space, and avoid conceding early, they might frustrate Athletic. But given Athletic’s home strength, any slip-ups in concentration (especially in defense or transitions) could be costly.
Given all the factors, here’s what to expect:
Likely result: Athletic Club win.
Scoreline guess: 2-0 or 2-1 in favour of Athletic.
Key player to watch: Oihan Sancet – if he can find pockets of space between Alavés’ midfield and defence, he could be instrumental.
Dark horse: Toni Martínez for Alavés – he may be their best chance of getting on the scoresheet.
Featured Image – Athletic Club (Official Website)
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