Match Information
Match Overview
Athletic Club host Alaves in a Regular Season - 7 fixture in La Liga, with both sides looking to build momentum in the early stages of the campaign. Athletic sit ninth while Alaves occupy sixth position, a gap that reflects two teams separated by fine margins so far this season.
Recent form paints contrasting pictures for both clubs heading into this meeting. Athletic Club go into the match unbeaten in their last three fixtures, a stretch that includes a commanding 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid on September 5 and a 2-0 away victory at Celta Vigo on August 30, before a 1-1 draw with Elche on September 12 and an away trip to Levante on September 16. That run represents a marked improvement after an opening-day 2-0 defeat to Barcelona on August 27. Alaves, by contrast, arrive on the back of back-to-back league defeats, losing 1-0 at home to Valencia on September 15 and 2-1 away to Racing Santander on September 12, having looked far more potent in wins over Osasuna (5-2, September 6) and Villarreal (1-0, August 28).
That form swing is the central storyline here: Athletic's rising confidence against Alaves's sudden defensive fragility after conceding six goals across their last two matches. Alaves's 5-2 win over Osasuna shows the attacking quality Quique Sánchez Flores's side possess, but the two subsequent losses suggest issues at the back that Athletic, under E. Terzić, will look to exploit.
Squad availability is not a complicating factor for either side, with no injuries reported for Athletic Club or Alaves, meaning both managers should be able to field closer to their strongest available XI. With Athletic's home form building and Alaves searching for a response to consecutive defeats, this match arrives as a meaningful test for both sides' league trajectories heading into the heart of the season.
Predicted Lineups
Athletic Club
Unai Simón; J. Louis-Jean, Aitor Paredes, Aymeric Laporte, Yuri; Ruíz de Galarreta, Mikel Jauregizar, Robert Navarro, Oihan Sancet, Álex Berenguer; Maroan Sannadi
Alaves
Sivera; N. Tenaglia, V. Koski, N. Valentini; Angel Pérez, Pablo Ibáñez, Antonio Blanco, Denis Suárez, A. Rebbach; Toni Martínez, L. Boyé
Team Form Analysis
Athletic Club
League Position: 9Athletic Club Form Analysis
Athletic Club's recent form shows a team on the rise after a difficult start to the season. Following an opening-day 2-0 loss to Barcelona on August 27, Athletic have gone unbeaten in three subsequent league outings, headlined by a statement 3-0 home victory over Atletico Madrid on September 5. That result was backed up by a solid 2-0 away win at Celta Vigo on August 30, demonstrating quality against varied opposition both home and away.
A 1-1 draw with Elche on September 12 suggests the attack can occasionally stall against deeper-lying defenses, but the underlying trend remains positive. Defensively, Athletic have looked far more secure since the Barcelona defeat, conceding sparingly across their unbeaten run. With an away trip to Levante on September 16 rounding out their recent schedule, Athletic head into this match having tackled a mixed set of opponents with increasing consistency, giving them momentum as they look to climb from ninth position.
Alaves
League Position: 6Alaves Form Analysis
Alaves's form has taken a downward turn after a promising start to the campaign. Sitting sixth in the table, their season includes an impressive 5-2 home win over Osasuna on September 6 and a battling 1-0 victory against Villarreal on August 28, results that showcased genuine attacking threat, particularly in the Osasuna rout.
However, the last two league outings have been concerning. A 2-1 away defeat to Racing Santander on September 12 was followed by a 1-0 home loss to Valencia on September 15, meaning Alaves have failed to score in their most recent match while shipping goals at the other end. This drop-off follows a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano on August 20, suggesting some inconsistency has crept into Quique Sánchez Flores's side over recent weeks. The defensive solidity that underpinned their early wins has been undermined by six goals conceded across the last two fixtures, a trend they will be eager to address heading into this match.
Head-to-Head
Athletic Club
Alaves
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-02 | Alaves | 2 - 4 | Athletic Club |
| 2025-09-13 | Athletic Club | 0 - 1 | Alaves |
| 2025-07-22 | Alaves | 1 - 0 | Athletic Club |
| 2025-05-11 | Athletic Club | 1 - 0 | Alaves |
| 2024-12-15 | Alaves | 1 - 1 | Athletic Club |
| 2024-03-16 | Athletic Club | 2 - 0 | Alaves |
| 2024-01-16 | Athletic Club | 2 - 0 | Alaves |
| 2023-09-22 | Alaves | 0 - 2 | Athletic Club |
| 2022-08-06 | Athletic Club | 1 - 1 | Alaves |
| 2022-01-09 | Alaves | 0 - 0 | Athletic Club |
Memorable Matches
These two sides have produced some entertaining meetings in recent years. The most recent encounter on May 2, 2026 saw Athletic Club win 4-2 away at Alaves, a high-scoring affair that highlighted the attacking quality both teams can produce. Their meeting on September 13, 2025 went the other way, with Alaves securing a narrow 1-0 win at Athletic's expense. Further back, a 2024 double-header saw Athletic Club win both meetings 2-0, on March 16 and January 16 respectively, pointing to a period of Athletic dominance in this fixture before more recent results have levelled things out.
Our read the complete preview covers the key factors in greater depth.
Venue Factor
While specific venue records were not detailed in the available data, home advantage remains a relevant consideration for this Regular Season - 7 fixture. Athletic Club will look to leverage home support as they build on their recent unbeaten league run, with home crowds historically playing a significant role in Athletic's matches. Alaves, meanwhile, arrive on the back of consecutive league defeats and will need to manage the challenge of traveling form alongside a response to recent results. The atmosphere generated by Athletic's home support is often cited as a factor that can lift the team during matches, particularly against visiting sides looking to disrupt a home team's rhythm following a positive run of results.
Injury Concerns
Athletic Club
Alaves
