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Is Athletic Bilbao a threat to finish in the Top 4 this season in La Liga and get into the Champions League? Athletic finished in 7th place a year ago with 63 points but they were nine points behind Sevilla who finished in fourth place. It wasn’t that long ago that Athletic made the Champions League, as they finished fourth in La Liga in 2013-2014. Athletic didn’t make many changes in the off-season, so if they are to improve upon last year’s finish they will have to count on many of the same players showing improvement. They will also have to improve without manager Ernesto Valverde who left for Barcelona. It will be up to Jose Angel Ziganda to lead the Lions in 2017-2018.
Athletic Bilbao La Liga Futures Odds
Odds To Win La Liga: +5000 (Field)
Odds To Finish in Top 4: +500
Athletic is no threat to win La Liga but that can be said about 17 of the 20 teams in the league, as only Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are given any chance of winning the title. Athletic has consistently been in the upper half of the table and they should have no trouble finishing in the upper half again in 2017-2018. The question is whether or not they can challenge for a Top 4 finish, something they have not done in the last three seasons.
Athletic Bilbao Competitions in 2017-18
Spanish La Liga
Copa del Rey
Europa League
What's New?
The only newcomer for Athletic is Inigo Cordoba Kerejeta. Athletic did get some former players who returned from loan. Athletic got back Iago Herrerin, Mikel Vesga, Ager Aketxe, Kike Sola and Asier Villaibre.
What's Gone?
Athletic lost Gorka Iraizoz to Girona, Gorka Elustondo to Atletico Nacional and Javier Eraso to Leganes.
Athletic is also receiving interest from Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund for Inaki Williams who scored five goals and has six assists last season.
Athletic Bilbao 2017-18 Predictions
Bilbao finished with 19 wins last season with 13 losses and six draws. They did reach the last 32 in the Europa League a year ago. Part of the problem for Athletic Bilbao in challenging for a Top 4 finish in 2017-2018 is their schedule. The team qualified for the Europa League so they will have to play more games this season, which will put added pressure on the players. The team had playoff round games in August against Panathinaikos that made their preparation for the upcoming La Liga season a little more difficult than normal.
The Lions have never been relegated so there is no worry about them slipping into any danger. They have played in the Champions League five times and they have high hopes of finishing fourth this season to get another Champions League spot.
Bilbao is still counting heavily on 36-year old Aritz Aduriz who scored 24 goals in all competitions last season. The team is hoping for more from some of their younger players including Iker Muniain and Aymeric Laporte.
In the last four seasons of La Liga, the Lions have finished 4th, 7th, 5th and 7th. They should have a similar finish in 2017-2018. A Top 4 finish may be too optimistic, as Athletic didn’t do anything in the off-season to improve.
The Lions look to be very similar to the team that finished 7th a year ago, but they do have a new manager and whenever a new manager comes in things can be a bit unpredictable. Perhaps a 5th or 6th place finish is possible but improving enough to get into the Top 4 is unlikely.
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