Sun May 11 15:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Athletic Club Aims for Fourth Place in Crucial Basque Derby Against Alavés

**Bilbao, Spain** – Athletic Club will look to put their Europa League disappointment behind them as they face a crucial Basque derby against a relegation-threatened Deportivo Alavés on Sunday. The match, kicking off at 6:30 PM local time, holds significant importance for the home side as they aim to solidify their Champions League qualification hopes.

Athletic’s dream of a Europa League final at San Mamés ended after a 4-1 aggregate defeat to Manchester United. With their European campaign over, their focus now shifts to securing a top-four finish in La Liga.

Manager Ernesto Valverde will welcome back key players Oihan Sancet and Dani Vivian. Sancet returns from a hamstring injury, while Vivian serves his European suspension. However, the Williams brothers, Iñaki and Nico, remain sidelined with muscular problems. Beñat Prados is also out due to an injury sustained in Manchester. Further compounding their injury woes, Berenguer and Gorosabel are suspended. Aingeru Olabarrieta and Endika Buján will feature in the squad.

Athletic currently sits fourth with 61 points, three ahead of Villarreal and four ahead of Betis. A recent goalless draw against Real Sociedad has narrowed the gap to their rivals, adding pressure to their home match.

Alavés, meanwhile, arrives desperately needing a win to boost their chances of avoiding relegation. They currently sit three points above the relegation zone, but a win would significantly improve their situation. Alavés has shown improved form recently, with three consecutive matches resulting in points, including a win over Real Sociedad. Their only absentee will be the injured Abdel Abqar. A victory for Alavés would be a significant step towards La Liga survival.

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