Slavia PraguevsAthletic Bilbao

Slavia Prague's Home Fortress

Slavia Prague enters this match with a formidable home record, having maintained a perfect streak in the Czech First League this season. Their recent domestic dominance is underscored by their position at the top of the league table, boasting 16 wins out of 19 matches. The departure of their starting goalkeeper, Antonín Kinský, to Tottenham Hotspur could have been a setback, but Ales Mandous has stepped up admirably in his absence. The club's financial stability has also been bolstered by new ownership under Czech businessman Pavel Tyka, which could provide additional resources for strengthening the squad.

Athletic Bilbao's Away Struggles

Athletic Bilbao, on the other hand, has faced challenges on the road, failing to secure a win in their last six away matches. Their recent defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup highlights their struggles against top-tier opponents. Despite their rich history in European competitions, Bilbao has yet to translate that into consistent success in the current UEFA Europa League campaign. Their reliance on Gorka Guruzeta Rodriguez for goals has been evident, but the team's overall attacking output has been underwhelming, particularly away from home.

Tactical Matchup and Key Players

Tactically, Slavia Prague's ability to control the first half of matches, winning 41% of them, could be crucial against an Athletic Bilbao side that only manages to win 24% of their first halves. Mojmír Chytil's recent form, including a hat-trick against Karviná, adds a potent threat to Slavia's attacking arsenal. Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao will look to Mikel Jauregizar Alboniga to provide creativity and assists, but they will need to overcome Slavia's robust home defense, which has been difficult to breach.

Prediction and Conclusion

Given Slavia Prague's impressive home form and Athletic Bilbao's struggles on the road, the Czech side is favored to secure a victory. However, both teams have shown vulnerabilities in defense, suggesting that goals could be on the cards for both sides. Therefore, the prediction is a home win for Slavia Prague with both teams likely to score.