Athletic Bilbao enters this contest in scintillating form, boasting a perfect record in the early stages of the La Liga season which sees them placed second in the table. [10, 14] Their home form is particularly impressive, and they have historically dominated this fixture, especially at San Mamés, where Alavés has failed to secure a victory in their last eight league attempts. [6] The head-to-head record is heavily skewed in favor of the home side, who have won four of the last six encounters across all competitions, keeping clean sheets in three of those wins. [2] However, Athletic are not without their concerns. The recent 10-month suspension of key central defender Yeray Alvarez creates a significant defensive hole. [28] Additionally, star winger Nico Williams is a doubt after picking up an injury on international duty, which could blunt their attacking edge. [11] Deportivo Alavés presents a contrasting picture. Their form has been inconsistent, with a clear disparity between their solid home performances and their struggles on the road. [16] This travel sickness is a recurring theme and a major handicap when visiting one of the league's most intimidating stadiums. Their defense has been respectable, but they face a stern test against an Athletic side that has been scoring consistently. [6] Compounding their challenge are injuries to key players like Nikola Maraš and Lucas Boyé. [5] Considering Athletic's dominant form, home advantage, and superior head-to-head record, a home win is the most logical prediction. The historical trend of low-scoring matches between these two sides, with only two of the last eighteen meetings seeing over 2.5 goals, strongly suggests another tight affair. [7] Alavés' difficulty in scoring away from home, combined with Athletic's generally robust defense (despite the absence of Yeray), points towards a victory with a clean sheet for the hosts.