Athletic Bilbao will aim to keep their aspirations of European football alive on Monday night, when they tackle a Hercules side who have done a solid job of fending off the threat of relegation in the first half of the campaign.
Unlike their guests, los Leones are ever presents in the Primera Division, and having already accrued 29 points, there is little prospect of the Basque giants having to fret over their perfect attendance record come May. Instead, the Bilbao club will be looking to spread their wings into continental competition once more.
Though Joaquin Caparros’ side have picked up nine wins this term, they have struggled to gain any kind of consistency about their results. Indeed, they stand on the cusp of going undefeated in three league matches for the first time this season. Wins at home have often been contrasted quickly by road losses, and this has prevented Athletic making any real progress.
With seven victories from their 10 matches at San Mames to date, Caparros will be confident of leading his side to another victory at La Catedral, where only Deportivo La Coruna have tasted success in La Liga since September.
Need Another Gear
Hercules’ return to Primera Division action in August began with a 1-0 defeat at home against Athletic Bilbao, though thankfully for the Alicante side, better has followed. Barcelona were beaten 2-0 at the Camp Nou just a couple of weeks later and Esteban Vigo’s side have barely looked back since.
Like los Leones, Hercules have failed to piece together any kind of coherent sequence of results. They’ve neither gone unbeaten for three matches not lost more than a couple in a row; commendable for a side fresh out of the Segunda, even one boasting talent such as David Trezeguet and Nelson Valdez.
Fallibilities have been persistently shown on the road, with that famous win against Barca a notable exception. Last weekend, for example, Sporting de Gijon proved too good for the southerners, recording a 2-0 success at El Molinon.
“We need another gear when we play away from home,” Vigo honestly admitted after the defeat – Hercules’ sixth in 10 road games, and their ninth without a win. “Things will change in the second half of the season.”
With uncertainty still surrounding the payment of the club’s players, all is not necessarily well off the field, but on the park Hercules continue to do a reasonable job.
TEAM NEWS
Athletic
Aitor Ocio is a new absentee for the Basque side. He has picked up a foot injury and can’t feature. Fernando Amorebieta, Iban Perez and Jon Aurtenetxe all miss out again.
On the other hand, Inigo Diaz de Cerio comes back into the squad after a loan spell with Cordoba.
Hercules
Abraham Paz and Tiago Gomez come into the team after recent problems. Olivier Thomert is the Alicante side’s major absentee.
Prediction
While the challenge of Hercules shouldn’t be completely dismissed, a home win is very much on the cards. Athletic are powerful beasts in front of their own fans, and los Herculanos have rarely shone on their travels.
Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Hercules 
Bolton 0-0 Chelsea 
