Athletic Bilbao center back Aymeric Laporte. (Photo : Getty Images)
Athletic Bilbao (6-6-3, 21 points) will look to bounce back from two straight winless games in a 2015-2016 La Liga season encounter with bottom-dweller Levante UD (2-8-5, 11 points) on December 20th, Sunday at their home field of San Mamés Stadium.
Athletic Club dropped a tough 1-2 decision in the hands of Atletico Madrid last Sunday at the Vicente Calderón Stadium to fail to snatch a win for two games in a row, via SkySports.
Bilbao center back Aymeric Laporte gave Ernesto Valverde's men the early, scoring the opener at the 27th minute of the match.
However, Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez was able to equalize the count before halftime before Atleti's notorious French forward Antoine Griezmann netted the winner at the 67th to deny Los Leones three points in the overall standings.
Athletic is currently at the ninth spot in the league table, tied on points with Valencia and Eibar.
Meanwhile, Levante continues its downward spiral with a 1-2 defeat to Granada last Saturday at their own home turf of Estadi Ciutat de València, as reported by ESPN.
Granada forward Adalberto Penaranda drew first blood at the 50th minute before Levante defensive midfielder Simão Mate Junior leveled the score at the 66th.
A second goal from Penaranda two minutes before full time denied Les Granotes of a point in the overall standings, as they continue to dwell at the cellar of the league table at the moment.
The prediction is Athletic Bilbao over Levante, 3-1.
Athletic Bilbao starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Iraizoz; Boveda, Etxeita, Laporte, Balenziaga; Iturraspe, Benat; de Marcos, Garcia, Williams; Aduriz
Levante starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Ruben; Lopez, Navarro, Feddal, Tono; Lerma, Junior, Camarasa; Morales, Deyverson, Garcia
