Newcastle United - Athletic Bilbao betting tip & best odds | 05.11.2025

Newcastle United vs Athletic Bilbao: Champions League Clash at St James' Park

The Champions League continues with an intriguing matchup as Newcastle United host Athletic Bilbao at St James' Park on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 21:00. This Matchday 4 encounter sees the Magpies, currently sitting 8th in the Champions League table with 6 points, welcome a Bilbao side that finds themselves in 21st position with just 3 points. Eddie Howe's men have started their European campaign strongly with two wins and one defeat, while Ernesto Valverde's Athletic Bilbao have managed one win against two losses. With Newcastle boasting a solid home record in this competition and Bilbao struggling on their travels, this promises to be a fascinating contest between two teams with contrasting fortunes.

Our Expert Betting Predictions for This Champions League Encounter

After analyzing the current form, head-to-head statistics, and team dynamics, we have two confident betting predictions for this Champions League fixture. Our primary football betting tip is a home win for Newcastle United. The Magpies have been impressive in the Champions League this season, particularly at St James' Park where they recently demolished Benfica 3-0. With odds of 1.55 at 1win, this represents solid value for a team that has already beaten Athletic Bilbao in their only previous meeting.

Our second sports betting tip focuses on the "Both Teams to Score" market, where we're recommending "No" at odds of 1.85 with Paripesa. Newcastle's defense has been remarkably solid in the Champions League, conceding just twice in three matches. Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao have struggled to find the net away from home in this competition. Given Newcastle's defensive stability and Bilbao's attacking difficulties on the road, we expect at least one team to draw a blank in this encounter. This betting tip today offers excellent value for football bets today.

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Market Analysis: Finding Value in the Odds

When examining the odds for this Champions League fixture, several bookmakers are offering competitive prices. For a home win, 1win provides the best value at 1.55, while they also offer 4.52 for a draw and 6.81 for an away victory. These odds clearly indicate that the bookmakers view Newcastle as strong favorites, which aligns with our analysis and betting prediction.

In the "Both Teams to Score" market, Easybet offers 1.95 for "Yes," while Paripesa provides 1.85 for "No." Given our assessment of Newcastle's defensive solidity and Bilbao's struggles away from home, the "No" option at Paripesa represents excellent value. Based on our extensive experience with these betting sites, we've found that Paripesa consistently offers competitive odds across various markets, making them a reliable choice for this particular wager. If you're looking to place bets on this match or others, we recommend checking out our comprehensive guide to the best betting sites, where we evaluate bookmakers based on odds, markets, and user experience.

Newcastle United: Flying High in Europe

Eddie Howe's Newcastle United have made an impressive start to their Champions League campaign, sitting 8th in the table with 6 points from a possible 9. Their attacking prowess has been particularly noteworthy, with 8 goals scored across their three matches – an average of 2.67 per game. Defensively, they've been equally impressive, conceding just twice in the competition.

Their home form in the Champions League has been strong, with one win and one defeat at St James' Park. Their most recent European outing saw them dominate Benfica in a convincing 3-0 victory, demonstrating their ability to compete with established Champions League sides. However, Newcastle come into this fixture on the back of a disappointing 3-1 defeat to West Ham United in domestic competition, which may raise some concerns.

Eddie Howe has established a clear playing identity at Newcastle, with a focus on high-intensity pressing and quick transitions. This approach has served them well in Europe, where their physical style has caused problems for continental opponents. With a positive goal difference of +6 in the Champions League, Newcastle have shown they can both score freely and keep things tight at the back when required.

Athletic Bilbao: Struggling to Find Their European Feet

Ernesto Valverde's Athletic Bilbao have had a challenging start to their Champions League campaign, sitting 21st in the table with just 3 points from their first three matches. Their defensive vulnerabilities have been exposed, conceding 7 goals while scoring only 4, giving them a negative goal difference of -3. Their away form in the competition is particularly concerning, having lost their only road fixture so far.

Despite these European struggles, Bilbao did secure an impressive 3-1 home victory against Qarabağ FK in their last Champions League outing, showing they have the quality to compete at this level. However, they followed that with a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Real Sociedad in their most recent domestic fixture, suggesting consistency remains an issue for Valverde's men.

Ernesto Valverde, a coach with considerable European experience, will be aware that Bilbao's traditional philosophy of fielding only Basque players presents unique challenges in continental competition. Nevertheless, the team's fighting spirit and tactical discipline make them dangerous opponents on their day. Their record of 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 defeats across their last 5 matches in all competitions indicates a team capable of producing results, even if they've struggled to do so consistently in Europe.

The Last Direct Duels

The head-to-head record between these two sides is limited but significant. Newcastle United and Athletic Bilbao have met just once previously, with the Magpies securing a 2-1 home victory. This sole encounter provides Newcastle with a psychological edge heading into Wednesday's clash, having already demonstrated they can overcome the Basque outfit at St James' Park.

While there's no previous Champions League meeting between the teams to analyze, Newcastle's success in their only encounter suggests they match up well against Bilbao's style of play. Eddie Howe will likely draw confidence from this historical result, even if the sample size is minimal. For Athletic Bilbao, the previous defeat gives them a clear reference point for areas they need to improve if they're to secure a better result this time around.

Match Prediction: Home Advantage to Prove Decisive

After analyzing both teams' current form, historical record, and Champions League performances, Newcastle United appear well-positioned to secure another victory over Athletic Bilbao. The Magpies' impressive home record in Europe, combined with their attacking potency (8 goals in 3 matches), makes them deserving favorites for this encounter.

Athletic Bilbao's struggles away from home in European competition suggest they'll find it difficult to cope with the atmosphere at St James' Park and Newcastle's high-intensity approach. While Ernesto Valverde's side did show promise in their recent win against Qarabağ, the step up in quality they'll face against Newcastle represents a significant challenge.

We expect Newcastle to control possession and create the better chances, potentially keeping a clean sheet in the process. Our prediction of a home win with at least one team failing to score aligns with both teams' recent performances and the overall quality gap between them. Eddie Howe's men should take another important step toward Champions League knockout qualification with a comfortable victory.

For those interested in more football tips for tomorrow or looking to expand their betting portfolio, our betting tips for tomorrow page offers expert analysis and predictions for upcoming fixtures across various competitions. It's the perfect resource for bettors seeking to make informed decisions on a wide range of matches beyond this Champions League encounter.