Another Setback for Terzic’s Basques?
When Athletic Bilbao lost 0–2 to Hansi Flick’s FC Barcelona following their 1–3 home defeat against Sevilla, the Spanish press reported that one German coach was at the top of the table and another at the bottom. The latter is Edin Terzic, who came under immediate criticism but still managed to lead his team to a 2-0 away win at Celta Vigo on Sunday.
However, if Athletic Bilbao does indeed suffer another defeat against Atlético Madrid—as some are predicting—the 43-year-old, who once led BVB to a cup title and the Champions League final, will have to brace himself for further backlash. After a sobering 12th-place finish last season, the Leones have set their sights higher for the new campaign.
Atlético Madrid, however, has put on a very convincing performance so far. The Colchoneros—who under Diego Simeone often play a somewhat overly defensive style—have scored at least two goals in each of their three La Liga matches and most recently even stopped Sevilla FC, which had previously picked up the full six points. The team from the capital won 3-1 in Andalusia and, with seven out of nine points to their credit, climbed to third place in the standings.
Given that they’ve won four of their last five La Liga matches against the Leones, our Athletic Bilbao vs. Atlético Madrid prediction also calls for the Madrid side to secure a point this time around. Since we don’t expect a goal-fest at San Mamés, the combined bet on the Double Chance X2 with under 4.5 goals makes a lot of sense and covers numerous possibilities.
Although it’s worth noting that Bilbao’s rocky home loss to Sevilla was due to an early red card for Yuri Berchiche, the Colchoneros looked significantly more stable and mature in their season opener. So, anyone looking for higher odds on the Athletic Bilbao vs. Atlético Madrid match might well consider betting on an away win by the Rojiblancos, who have won four of their last five league games against Los Leones.
Athletic Bilbao – Atlético Madrid Head-to-Head Record
Head-to-Head: 80 – 35 – 97
A total of 212 matches have already taken place between the two teams, and with 97 wins, Atlético Madrid holds a clear lead in the head-to-head record. The team from the capital has also won four of its last five La Liga matches against Athletic Bilbao (one loss) and celebrated a 3–2 home victory over the Basques in their last matchup on April 25, 2026.
Athletic Bilbao – Atlético Madrid Prediction
After their first victory under Edin Terzic, Athletic Bilbao is now under pressure to follow up with another win at home against a top-tier team. The atmosphere at San Mamés is sure to be electric.
The offense, led by the speedy Williams brothers, will still need to live up to its potential. After all, pure momentum clearly favors the Colchoneros. Atlético Madrid has earned seven out of a possible nine points. In particular, Simeone’s squad secured a very convincing 3-1 away win against a Sevilla FC side that’s been in top form.
Although the Colchoneros have shown themselves to be prolific scorers—netting at least two goals in each of the first three matchdays—we don’t expect a goal fest. Simeone’s team is likely to adopt a slightly more cautious approach on the road, and Edin Terzic shouldn’t set his team up too offensively either, as that would risk leaving them vulnerable to counterattacks. Since we don’t consider an away loss for the Rojiblancos to be all that likely, we therefore recommend the combined bet on the Double Chance X2 with under 4.5 goals.
