Back fast-starting Athletic to find a way to sit on a lead

Copa del Rey, 7.45pm Wednesday

Ignore the odds-on quotes about the Basques over 90 minutes and go for the jugular with the the Athletic-Athletic double result at 8-5.

Spain’s two most out-of-form sides meet at San Mames in the Copa del Rey but the bare facts don’t quite tell us everything.

Neither of these sides have won since the opening day. And they’ve already met in Bilbao, a match in which the hosts led 2-0 at the interval only to ship two late goals.

And that, in a nutshell, is Athletic’s season.

According to the league table they are 18^th. In a first-half league table, they are sixth.

Their problem is a chronic inability to protect leads – six times they’ve thrown away winning positions. However, three of those matches were against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid and they still managed to draw the first two.

Athletic look like they are in a false position with eight draws in their last 12. Soon they’ll be winning games and Huesca are there for the taking.

Like Athletic they are winless since August – but unlike Athletic they are leaking horribly, having conceded 27 goals.

New boss Francesco awaits a first win in five and he needs the Copa like a hole in the head. Saturday’s trip to Celta is all that he’s focusing on and the word is he will ring the changes.

Recommendation
Athletic-Athletic double result
3pts 8-5 Coral

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Read every day for no-nonsense previews and expert sports betting tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport