Athletic Bilbao remains in tenth position in the LaLiga table despite having played two fewer games than most of its rivals. The reason for this calendar difference is the suspension of the matches against Rayo Vallecano and Levante, caused by local protests and a heavy downpour in Valencia, respectively. The date, location and format of the pending matches have not yet been announced, leaving the team in a situation of uncertainty that could affect its position in the standings.
Before the cancellation of the match in Madrid, Athletic was in tenth place with eight points. Thanks to the equality of points with eight other teams, the Bilbao club has managed to get ahead of Villarreal by goal difference, maintaining a +1 while the red and white team finds itself in complete balance after its defeat by one goal difference against Real Madrid. Celta, for its part, has surpassed Athletic in the table for the same reason, leaving itself with a +2 goal average.
Coach JosuTerzic observes that the team is five points behind the European zone, with Real Sociedad marking the border in sixth position. In addition, the team is three points behind seventh position, occupied by Alavés, which usually benefits from the Copa del Rey. Eighth place could also offer a pass to the continental zone thanks to the UEFA ranking, where Deportivo is two points ahead of Athletic. If the Bilbao team managed to win its two pending games against Levante and Rayo, it would rise to fifth place, equal with Sevilla. On the other hand, losing both games could see them move even further down, depending on goal difference.
Athletic will not recover the two matches before the next matchday, so the table will continue to fluctuate. Next Wednesday, the club will visit Levante in the match corresponding to the sixth round of the championship, which will allow it to align with the time zone of the rest of the league. However, the date and place of the end of the match with Rayo Vallecano remain unknown. The match was interrupted with a score of 0-0, and it must be determined whether it will resume at Rayo's home, on a neutral ground or with some stands closed.
The calendar has been a real challenge for Athletic, who will have a month without competing between the derby with Real Madrid on September 19 and the visit to Valencia on October 17. Since then, the Bilbao team will face a series of six games in 22 days, including matches in Mestalla, Ciutat de Valencia, Getafe, L'Hospitalet, SanMamés and Pamplona, with the possibility that the pending match with Rayo Vallecano will be inserted between the derbies. The situation requires careful management of the coaching staff and the players to maintain competitiveness in the table and in the fight for the European zone.