Levante's pressure should make the first pass a central issue against Athletic Bilbao. Athletic can play through that pressure into runners behind the home fullbacks, while Levante have fresh outlets for the later stages. Sporting should have longer spells on the ball against LASK's compact shape. The number of clean contacts after crosses and clearances matters more there than the recent scorelines.
Levante's Romero and Brugué can turn a high recovery into a quick attack, but their own pressured exit and exposed space were visible against Sevilla. Athletic have Iñaki's run behind that space, Berenguer on the far side and Simón behind a defence that restricted Alavés sharply. Guruzeta and Sancet are unavailable as reflected in their recent minutes, so this is about the available routes rather than an imagined full-strength front line. I expect Athletic's exits to create the clearer winning chances. That's why I'm siding with Athletic Bilbao to win, with a draw returned by the attached selection.
Sporting can move the ball through Inácio and send Irankunda or Catamo around LASK's back five toward Suárez. LASK can clear into Horvath and Kalajdžić, giving the visitors a direct box route of their own. Horvath started the latest LASK win after missing Liverpool, while Sporting's recent wins relied on fewer repeated clean finishes than their final scores suggest. A patient Sporting spell, a LASK release and later substitutes all belong in the match picture. That's why I'm siding with a restrained combined goal count in Sporting against LASK.
