Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad Prediction, 12/31/2020 La Liga Soccer Pick, Tips and Odds

by Josh Schonwald - 12/30/2020

Game: Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad

Date: Thursday, December 31, 2020

Location: San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Spain

TV: beIN Sports

Odds/Point Spread: Athletic Bilbao (+146) Real Sociedad (+170)

San Mamés Stadium is the site where Unai Lopez and Athletic Bilbao (5-3-7, 10th in La Liga) will take on Real Sociedad (7-5-4, 3rd in La Liga) on Thursday. The goaltenders who are expected to start are Unai Simon for Athletic Bilbao and Alejandro Remiro for Real Sociedad. Real Sociedad are priced at +170 while the Lions are at +146. The over/under is set at 2.25.

Athletic Bilbao took the field against Villarreal in their last game and finished with a draw by a score of 1-1. When discussing the passing game, they ended the game with a 77.0% received passes percentage by converting 248 out of their 322 passing targets last match. Athletic Bilbao tried 17 dribbles in this outing and were able to convert 10 of the attempts for a percentage of 58.8%. In relation to shooting accuracy, Athletic Bilbao wrapped this game up at a 33.3% rate by hitting 3 SoT of 9 total shots. Athletic Bilbao is averaging 1.13 g/90 (17 total goals) and are sitting with 11 assists in all matches this year.

Unai Lopez is a player who should be able to impact this game for Athletic Bilbao. Lopez has started 132 outings so far in his career and has 0.08 G/90. The midfielder representing Spain has recorded 10 goals in 11,323 mins played. He has totaled 12 assists while tallying 36 yellow cards in his career. One more player who should impact this match is Inaki Williams, the forward hailing from Spain. He has assisted on a goal 21 times during his career while he has scored 42 goals. Williams has been on the field for 15,610 mins in 182 starts and has been handed a total of 18 yellow card cautions. He sports an average of 0.24 goals per 90 minutes so far in his pro soccer career.

The man who will defend the goal for Athletic Bilbao is Unai Simon. Simon (19-16-21 mark during his soccer career) has accumulated 15 shutouts, which has him sitting with a 26.8% shutout rate. The goalie from Spain has faced 170 shots attempted against him in 56 career starts. His goals allowed per 90 mins is 1.09 (60 total goals allowed) and he is the owner of a save percentage of .706. Simon has been on the field for 4,971 minutes and has accumulated 120 saves so far in his career.

For their last outing, Real Sociedad walked away from this one with a loss by a score of 2-0 against Atlético Madrid. Real Sociedad earned a 73.3% successful dribble rate by connecting on 11 out of the 15 dribbles they tried. They finished this game by connecting on 435 of the 518 passes they tried earning a rate of 84.0%. Real Sociedad converted 1 shot on goal out of 6 shots tried giving them a 16.7% clip when they last took the field. Having earned a total of 25 goals and 13 assists in all their games, Real Sociedad averages 1.56 goals and 0.81 assists per 90.

Alexander Isak will need to provide a lift for Real Sociedad. The forward from Sweden has been on the field for 5,333 professional minutes while scoring 35 goals. He has accumulated 10 yellow cards in his career and has assisted on a goal 9 times. He currently averages 0.59 G/90 and has been a starter in 58 games so far in his pro soccer career. Be sure to watch out for Portu, the forward hailing from Spain. Portu has been given 34 yellow card warnings in 18,807 professional minutes played (213 career starting assignments). His goals per 90 average so far in his pro soccer career is 0.24. He has tallied 51 goals so far in his pro soccer career while helping on a goal 27 different times.

Alejandro Remiro will be residing in front of the goal for Real Sociedad. Remiro has tallied 35 clean sheets while defending 451 shots tried against him in 10,643 minutes in his career. He is the owner of a save % of .745 and his clean sheet rate sits at 29.4%. He has conceded 1.08 goals per 90 mins and he has a mark of 49-26-43. So far in his career, Remiro has surrendered 128 goals and has totaled 332 stops in 119 starts.

Who will win tonight's La Liga game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Real Sociedad (+170)

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Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad Prediction, 12/31/2020 La Liga Soccer Pick, Tips and Odds

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