Copa del Rey: Back-to-Back Basque Derbies for Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao vs Deportivo Alaves

Athletic Bilbao just came from a sweaty Basque Derby against their rivals Real Sociedad for their La Liga Matchday 20 clash. The Lions came out as the victors thanks to Álex Berenguer’s heroic two-goal performance, which lifted the spirited squad into third place in the Spanish top flight.

This time, Bilbao will play another neighboring rival, Deportivo Alaves, in their Copa del Rey Round of 16 match. The roars and chants of both historic teams’ supporters are expected to fill Basque Country as both Bilbao and Alaves attempt to bring pride and glory to their respective communities.

Bilbao have been one of the hottest teams in Spain, thanks to their balanced production on both sides of the pitch. Meanwhile, Alaves are having a great start to their calendar year, staying undefeated since the new year came.

It will be interesting to see which fiery team will be the first to run out of steam.

Talking Points

Bilbao excelling on both ends of the field

Bilbao have become one of the best defencive teams in the Spanish top flight, boasting just two conceded goals across all competitions since the start of December.

Their players in the back line have been so good that other clubs from across the continent have been making moves to acquire the Bilbao defenders before the transfer window closes.

On the other side of the pitch, Ernesto Valverde’s offence has been potent and deadly, even against some of the best defences in the top flight.

After 20 games, Bilbao have scored 38 goals, the fourth-most goals scored by a team in the top flight, trailing only Girona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid.

The combination of their potent offence and their bulwark defence resulted in a handful of recent clean-sheet victories, including a 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid, a humbling 4-0 triumph over Rayo Vallecano, and a surgical 0-2 win at Seville.

They also brought one of the most dominant Copa del Rey 2024 results with a 0-3 victory against Segunda Division side SD Eibar during the Round of 32.

With how the ball is rolling for Ernesto Valverde and his team, it’s hard not to expect more of the same when they face off against Alaves in their Round of 16 tie.

Alaves start their year right

Luis García and his boys have been substantial in the top flight, considering they’ve just been promoted to the big leagues after spending the 2022–23 season in the Segunda Division. It seems like Alaves found a talisman to start the 2024 calendar year, as they’ve been unbeaten in their matches across all competitions in January thus far.

They managed to stun Betis in the Copa del Rey Round of 32 at Mendizorrotza Stadium, where they managed to eliminate the 2022 winners, Real Betis, with a 1-0 score line.

Not just that, they also managed to tally a draw against their other Basque rivals, Real Sociedad, where Alaves kept it competitive all throughout the match and even led the game before Zubimendi scored the equaliser in added time.

Alaves managed to win their first La Liga match of the year with a thrilling 2-3 victory against a struggling Sevilla squad, who are treading dangerous waters and are in danger of relegation if they don’t turn things around in the second half of the La Liga season.

The big question now for Garcia and his outfit is whether they can continue their convincing run when faced with one of the best outfits in Spain.

History

These neighbouring rivals have faced each other 20 times across multiple competitions since 2005. Among those matches, the majority have ended with a draw (9), while Bilbao won more with six, but Alaves are right there with five of their own.

The Lions won their most recent head-to-head when they visited Mendizorrotza Stadium and humbled Alaves in front of their home crowd with a 0-2 score line.

Historically, these two clubs seem to be neck and neck, but this year, Bilbao are having what might be their strongest campaigns in La Liga in recent years, garnering 41 points after 20 games and sitting pretty in the third spot of the league standings.

Meanwhile, Alaves have been faring well in the top flight after spending the 2022–23 season in the Segunda Division due to relegation. They’re sturdy in the 13th spot with a total of 20 league points after 20 games with a 5-5-10 record.

Betting Tip

The Lions have been on a tear recently, becoming one of Spain’s hottest teams by winning four straight La Liga matches and landing the third spot on the top flight standings when this article was written, which is why the Copa del Rey 2024 betting odds have Bilbao as the favourites at 1.54.

They’ve been able to take care of their adversaries with clean-sheet victories in four of their last five matches across all competitions, and this SBOTOP writer thinks that Bilbao will do more of the same against Alaves.

Which is why my betting tip is total goals under 2.50 at 1.96. With Valverde’s defence keeping Alaves at bay, there’s a chance there won’t be a ton of goal scoring that will transpire between the two sides. And with a price as compelling as 1.96, punters will surely grab the opportunity to back the even lines in the total goal offers.

Another line that may pique punters’ interest is Asian Handicap Athletic Bilbao -1.00 at 2.05. There may be a good chance that Bilbao will dominate this match in both possession and shot attempts, which is why a handicap of -1.00 doesn’t seem like too much of a risk, especially with a price of 2.05.

 

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