La Liga Preview: Athletic Club - Numancia

Athletic Club are struggling once again and this time the club are weighing up whether Joaquín Caparrós is really the right coach to pull them out of the mire once again.

Just two wins in the club's opening 12 matches has left them in the bottom three and below their visitors this weekend who were expected to be certs to make an immediate return to the second division.

The Basque Country's proud history of being the only other club, along with Barcelona and Real Madrid, never to have been relegated from the Spanish top flight is coming under threat more and more frequently in recent seasons.

Sticking doggedly, and many would say rightly, to their policy of only fielding players who were born in the Basque Country or are from family from the area, Athletic fortunes do tend to fluctuate.

It can depend on the latest crop of players from their own youth system or the eligible players currently plying their trade at clubs from which they would jump at the chance to leave to join los Leones.

Public Backing

There are no rules on who can coach the team and the tough and sometimes abrasive Caparrós has kept the club afloat in the top flight when it may well have sunk under a lesser man.

But while staying up is a priority, not struggling each season is also becoming something that the club are hoping to change ad that is where concern over the current trainer is growing.

President Fernando García Macua did not publicly back his coach this week when asked if he still had the right man for the job in place and that has led to speculation that decisions could be made if the team do not beat Numancia.

The very modest Soria-based outfit won promotion from la Segunda A last term and immediately had to find a new coach as Gonzalo Arconada accepted the post at Almería.

Sergio Kresic took over and the wily veteran Croatian trainer may not have worked miracles, but he has overseen some encouraging results for a team that has been put together on a shoestring budget.

RECENT FORM

Athletic Club

23/11 A 1-3 Deportivo
16/11 H 2-0 Osasuna
12/11 A 1-2 Recreativo
09/11 A 3-3 Mallorca
01/11 H 1-4 Villarreal
29/10 H 2-0 Recreativo

Numancia

23/11 H 1-1 Atlético
16/11 A 4-3 Espanyol
12/11 A 0-2 Sporting
09/11 H 2-4 Real Betis
02/11 A 1-3 Sporting
29/10 H 0-1 Sporting

TEAM NEWS

Athletic Club

Fran Yeste is set to start for the hosts in place of the suspended Pablo Orbaiz, while Xabi Etxeita will play instead of the injured Fernando Amorebieta.

Probable Starting XI: Iraizoz, Iraola, Balenziago, A.Ocio, Etxeitia, Garmendia, J. Martínez, Yeste, Gabilondo, D. López, Llorente

Numancia

Alvaro Antón, GUayre, Platero and Sergio Boris are all out with knocks, while Dimas Delgado will start.

Probable Starting XI: J. Pablo, Juanra, Cisma, S. Ortega, Pavón, Nagore, Dimas, Barkero, Quero, D. Pino, Goiria

PREDICTION

The visitors here have not had a good run of late, but Athletic recovered from their sound defeat by Villarreal at home and will want to bounce back again after losing to Depor last time out. With Caparrós under pressure, the desire to perform in front of their own fans will drive them to victory.

Athletic Club 2 - 1 Numancia

Lucas Brown, Goal.com