Spanish La Liga
2025-05-25 - Ath Bilbao vs Barcelona
A Sports Betting Pick by Gladiator
Football: Spanish La Liga - Round 38
Estadio San Mamés (Bilbao), Spain
Sunday, 25th May 2025 - Kick Off 21:00 CET
Ath Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao come into the final matchday on a high after clinching a top-four finish with a 1-0 win over Valencia. It's their joint-best La Liga campaign in nearly three decades, and although this fixture carries no weight in terms of standings, pride will be on the line for Ernesto Valverde’s men, especially against his former club.
Bilbao have turned San Mamés into a fortress this season, going unbeaten in 15 straight home league games, including an impressive 2-1 victory over Real Madrid. The defence has been a standout strength, with only 26 goals conceded all season - the lowest tally across Europe’s top five leagues.
Still, against a Barcelona side looking to end their season with a statement, Bilbao may need to rely on more than just resilience.
Barcelona
Despite falling short of back-to-back titles, Barcelona’s season has still been a major success under Hansi Flick, with a league and Copa del Rey double already secured. However, they’ll be eager to avoid a second consecutive La Liga defeat after last weekend’s 3-2 stumble against Villarreal.
Barcelona are sitting on 99 goals in La Liga this season, and a single strike here would see them reach the century mark without the help of Lionel Messi - a notable feat. They will also be motivated to maintain momentum heading into the off-season, with Flick already signed on through 2027 and seeking a seventh straight league win away from home.
History supports Barca’s hopes: they've won six of their last seven visits to San Mamés and are unbeaten in their last 17 league meetings with Athletic. But stopping a Bilbao side full of confidence and defensive steel could make this finale more complicated than expected.
The Betting Verdict
Both teams have already secured their objectives, so the stage is set for a more open and entertaining encounter. Barcelona’s goal-scoring form speaks for itself, while Athletic, buoyed by a raucous San Mamés crowd, will not shy away from pushing forward.
Although Bilbao’s defence has been rock-solid, the attacking freedom this match allows, combined with both teams’ technical quality, should lead to a more goal-rich contest than usual.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Ath Bilbao 2-2 Barcelona
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
Take Over 2.5 Goals at odds of 1.53 with Bet365
