Athletic Bilbao and Girona are currently in the middle of the pack, sitting in 12th and 11th, respectively, in the La Liga standings after 31 matchdays of the 2025-26 campaign. It wasn’t too long ago when these two teams were higher in the table, with Athletic Bilbao finishing fourth last year and Girona surprising everyone with their third-place finish two seasons ago.
But given their current places and the La Liga 2026 odds, it’s unlikely that they’re in contention for a place in European football this year, and all that’s left for them to do is to finish the season strong with a positive run of La Liga 2026 results in the final seven matchdays.
Athletic Bilbao and Girona certainly missed the opportunity to establish themselves as part of the elites in the Spanish top-flight, and SBOTOP is here to analyse why it has been the case.
Athletic Bilbao were spread too thin
Athletic Bilbao qualified for the Champions League after an 11-year hiatus, finishing fourth in the Spanish top-flight standings last year, leapfrogging fifth-seeded Villarreal on a +5 goal difference. They also reached the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals, losing to Barcelona, and progressed to the Europa League semi-finals, losing to Manchester United.
However, after they made considerable progress last term, Los Leones got off to a sluggish start, dropping points in four of their first five league games. Ernesto Valverde’s men didn’t have much luck in the Champions League either, finishing outside the Top 24 with only two wins, two draws, and four losses for eight points.
Perhaps the biggest mistake for Athletic Bilbao was not doing much in the summer transfer window to retool their squad, with Aymeric Laporte’s return to San Mames as their only notable transaction. Because their team didn’t have much depth, the fight against attrition has gotten the best of them this season, most notably the sports hernia injury of star winger, Nico Williams.
Los Leones’ attack has stalled without Williams, as they have the fourth-worst offence in La Liga with only 33 goals. No Athletic Bilbao player has reached double-digit goals thus far, with Gorka Guruzeta being their top scorer with seven goals.
In terms of recent form, Athletic Bilbao have won only once in their last five league games, following their semi-final exit in the Copa del Rey last month. And it doesn’t help that five of their next seven opponents are above them in the standings.
Girona are okay being in mid-table
Girona raised eyebrows when they achieved their highest-ever finish in La Liga during the 2023-24 campaign. Like Athletic Bilbao, Michel’s side was spread too thin, having competed on multiple fronts. This caused them to crash out of the Champions League and finish only one point above the drop zone last term.
Girona’s downfall was inevitable because they couldn’t keep their core together. Some of their notable departures include Artem Dovbyk, Aleix Garcia, Savinho, Yan Couto, and Yangel Herrera. They must’ve learned their lesson last summer, as they reloaded their squad with the key additions of Azzedine Ounahi, Axel Witsel, Vladyslav Vanat, Alex Moreno, Thomas Lemar, and Vitor Reis.
Vanat is the team’s top scorer this season with nine goals, while Viktor Tsygankov remains an integral piece with five goals and four assists. Ounahi is Girona’s third-leading scorer with four goals and two assists.
Right now, Girona are exactly where they normally are, in the middle of the pack. At 38 points, they’re only four points adrift from surpassing last season’s total, a remarkable turnaround from the season prior. Unlike Athletic Bilbao, Girona are doing well recently, winning two of their last five league games, and they’re fresh from a gritty 1-1 draw against Real Madrid last weekend.
What lies ahead for Athletic Bilbao and Girona?
At this point, it’s all about making the most of their final seven league games for Athletic Bilbao and Girona. And given their recent forms, don’t be surprised if Girona one-ups Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish top-flight table. Either way, finishing in the top half of the table is already a win for both sides.
The bigger picture for these two teams is how they’ll approach this summer’s transfer window. This is where Girona has the slight edge, given their connection to Manchester City and Athletic Bilbao’s stringent Basque-only policy.
Athletic Bilbao and Girona supporters should temper their expectations in the meantime, as their recent campaigns have shown them that they’re not ready to make the jump. After spending some time in the Champions League, these two teams will likely be watching the showpiece tournament from home for a while.
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