Sevilla v Athletic Bilbao: Negredo could fire the Andalusians to a big home win

Sevilla’s fading hopes of Europa League qualification could be all but extinguished if Los Rojiblancos fail to pick up three points against a Bilbao side with one win in six away games in La Liga.

But while the Seville club’s season has been undone by poor form on the road – with just one away win to their name this term – it’s been a different story at the Ramon Sanchez Pijuan.

Unai Emery’s side have the fourth best home record in La Liga this season and are priced at 8/13 for the victory after picking up six wins and a draw in their last seven games in Seville.

Bilbao, meanwhile, have registered three La Liga wins in their last four yet remain at 4/1 for an away victory after claiming just three wins on the road this term. Manager Marcelo Bielsa is therefore likely to take a cautious approach away to Sevilla that could favour a draw at 3/1.

The Andalusian club have certainly entertained as hosts with three or more combined goals scored in each of the last seven played on home soil and odds of 13/10 are available on a Sevilla win with over 2.5 scored.

Tottenham target Alvaro Negredo will be crucial for the hosts after notching up eight of his 15 La Liga goals in the team’s last seven home games and is on at 3/1 to open the scoring here.

By contrast, Bielsa’s side  have yet to rediscover the same free-flowing style seen last term with each of their previous three wins coming by a scoreline of just 1-0 and odds of 14/1 available on a repeat result here.

The absence of wantaway striker Fernando Llorente has contributed to Bilbao’s downturn, with Aritz Aduriz stepping into the main goalscorer role.

Despite this, Llorente’s 32-year-old stand-in has 13 league strikes this term and after netting the winner in a 1-0 victory over Granada last time out is a worthy outside punt for first goalscorer at 5/1.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing