Eibar v Athletic Bilbao Betting Tips: Hosts can continue their scoring exploits

Two Basque teams, and two teams who’re competing for the right to play European football next season, go head-to-head on Monday night as Eibar play host to Athletic Bilbao at Ipurua. Given the way these two are capable of playing on their day, there should be plenty of good football on show.

Eibar have surprised many this season by continuing to punch well above their weight and really have been a breathe of fresh air, both in terms of the football that they’ve played and the goals that they’ve scored. Against a Bilbao side who’ve often leaked a few to many goals on the road during the campaign, the hosts could once again thrive from an attacking point of view.

The first bet that catches the eye here is ‘Eibar to Score Over 1.5 Goals’. Finding the back of the net really has been part and parcel of Eibar’s game this season, especially in front of a home crowd. José Luis Mendilibar has managed to assemble a well-oiled attacking machine, one that has scored 27 goals in 16 matches at Ipurua. What’s more, the home side come into this match having notched an impressive 12 goals in their last five at home. If you discount their 4-1 defeat to league leaders Real Madrid, Eibar have actually scored at least twice in four of their last five at Ipurua, as well as in three of their last five overall.

Bilbao are no mugs, so this won’t exactly be a stroll in the park, but the visitors an attacking team and such a style should play right into the hands of the hosts. On top of this, conceding goals has become something of a common occurrence for Bilbao over the course of this season. Ernesto Valverde’s team have conceded a rather alarming 21 goals away from home, letting in at least twice on seven occasions. They’ve also kept just one clean sheet in their last six on the road.

The hosts will take plenty of confidence from both the fact that they scored three times last time out at Ipurua, as well as the fact that Bilbao conceded three the last time they played away from home.

A secondary bet ahead of this one is ‘Over 2.5 Goals‘. The goals have tended to flow at Ipurua in recent times with at least three goals being scored in each of Eibar’s last eight home matches. In addition, ‘Over 2.5 Goals’ has landed in four of the last five Bilbao fixtures, as well as in 56% of Eibar’s overall home fixtures in the league and 53% of Bilbao’s on the road.

All things considered, with both of these two vying for a place inside that coveted top six, there should be no lack of intensity/attacking intent in this fixture and the goals are very much fancied to arrive.

Click here to read Monday’s Championship tips.