Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona: Forecast, Odds and Bets
The stage is set for a thrilling finale in La Liga as Athletic Bilbao host FC Barcelona at the iconic San Mamés on Sunday, May 25, 2025. With Barcelona having already secured the title, Athletic will be desperate to protect their fourth-place standing and secure Champions League football next season.
Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 CEST across Spain, Italy, Germany and France, while viewers in the UK can tune in at 20:00 BST. Expect a passionate atmosphere as Bilbao’s fans rally behind Ernesto Valverde’s side against the reigning champions.
How are both teams coming into this?
Athletic Bilbao have enjoyed an outstanding campaign, amassing 67 points from 18 wins, 13 draws and just 5 defeats. Their fortress-like record at San Mamés (11W-6D-1L) has been the foundation of their success, with Valverde’s balanced approach delivering 53 goals and only 26 conceded. Recent form has been solid too, with three wins, one draw and a narrow defeat in their last five outings.
FC Barcelona have once again dominated the table, wrapping up the title with 85 points thanks to 27 wins, 4 draws and 5 defeats. Hans-Dieter Flick’s high-pressing, possession-based system has churned out 97 goals this season. Though they suffered a surprise 3-2 loss to Villarreal in their last home match, Barca remain formidable on the road (13W-3D-2L) and boast a winning mindset even after clinching silverware.
Our forecast
We expect a tightly contested affair, but Barcelona’s superior quality and experience should edge them past Athletic. Our primary pick is a Barcelona victory, though we forecast a narrow scoreline given Bilbao’s home strength and motivation to finish in the top four.
Given both sides’ attacking prowess—Athletic averaging 1.06 goals per home game and Barcelona 1.44 goals away—we also fancy the Both Teams to Score market. For punters seeking higher returns, the Over 2.5 Goals option is worth considering as these clubs tend to produce open matches.
