Good afternoon! It's just half an hour until kickoff between two of La Liga's mid-table sides, as eighth-placed Athletic Bilbao travel to Espanyol, who are currently 10th in the table. Let's start with a look at the team news...

ESPANYOL STARTING XI: Casillas, Moreno, Alvaro, Arbilla, Duarte, Alvarez, Gonzalez, Canas, Lucas, Stuani, Garcia

ATHLETIC BILBAO STARTING XI: Iraizoz, Laporte, De Marcos, Iraola, Gurpegui, San Jose, Benat, Rico, Viguera, Williams, Guillermo

ESPANYOL SUBSTITUTES: P. Lopez, Mattioni, Colotto, Sanchez, J. Lopez, Caicedo, Mantanes

ATHLETIC BILBAO SUBSTITUTES: Herrerin, Aurtenetxe, Etxeitia, Susaeta, Lopez, Gomez

Espanyol make three changes to the side that beat Villarreal last time out, with Abraham Gonzalez, Jose Canas and Christian Stuani all coming back into the starting lineup. Felipe Caicedo, who scored a brace last time out, drops to the bench, as does Victor Sanchez.

Meanwhile, there are a five changes for the visitors, who drew with Champions League chasing Valencia in their last match. Aymeric Laporte and Andoni Iraola both come in at the back, while Borja Viguera and Benat are included in midfield after featuring off the bench last time out, while Guillermo comes in up front.

Victor Sanchez starts on the bench for Espanyol today, despite scoring last time out. He said at a pre-match press conference: "The win over Villarreal demonstrates that we still have a lot of hunger and want to have a great season and finish as high up the table as possible. We had some games where he played well and others where we played badly, but we weren't the same team as two months ago. The three points give us a little push and boost our morale a lot, and we hope we can keep picking up victories."

Coming into this match, Bilbao are eighth in the table, 11 points outside the Europa League spots with eighth matches still to play, while Espanyol are two points and two places further back. It would take a phenomenal finish to the season and plenty of help from other sides for either of these two teams to close the gap to sixth, but a win this afternoon would be a start.

The two teams come into today's fixture in contrasting form, with Athletic having failed to continue their impressive run from before the international break, failing to pick up a win in their last two outings. Espanyol are unbeaten in four though, and will be buoyed by their convincing win over Villarreal earlier this week.

PREDICTION! With the players due to make their way out any minute now, there's just time for a quick prediction. Espanyol certainly have the form coming into this match, and they've named a strong side, with goals on the bench, so I'm going for 2-1 to the hosts.

The players are making their way out ready for kickoff in front of a packed crowd.

KICKOFF! The home side get the action underway.

Neither side have really settled yet with both struggling to keep possession in the opening couple of minutes. Oscar de Marcos tries to get the visitors into the Espanyol box with a ball out from the back, but Canas blocks it and goes on the counter.

Bilbao are on the attack with Mikel Rico charging down the middle before squaring the ball to Inaki Williams on the edge of the box, but the winger's first touch is poor, and he loses out to Alvaro.

A poor cleared by Iraola lets Arbilla slip the ball in to Stuani, but Gorka Iraizoz rushes off his line to spare his defender's blushes, leaping on the ball before the striker can get the shot away. It's certainly been an open start, with both sides clearly eager to get an early goal.

The visitors are just starting to look the stronger of the two sides on the ball, with Rico and De Marcos dictating play down the left flank as they try to set up Guillermo, but Rico's cross is booted clear by Alvaro. There still hasn't been a shot from either side though.

Espanyol are on the counter-attack as Abraham Gonzalez wins the ball back on the edge of the box before charging down the other end, but once again Iraizoz is ready to claim it at the first opportunity.

Athletic soon make their way back down the other end, with Iraola floating a high ball into the box, with Williams and Guillermo both waiting in the middle for the pass, but Alvaro gets to it first. The ever-dependent centre-back has already made three vital clearances for the hosts.

Having seen their opponents cause problems with a high ball a couple of minutes earlier, Espanyol try a similar move, with Sergio Garcia trying to send it over the top for Stuani, but Iraizoz comes out again to sweep it clear.

Athletic shaded the possession in the opening 15 minutes, but Espanyol are starting to dominate proceedings now, with Moreno and Duarte keeping the ball down the right, but the visitors are making sure that the cannot get forward.

Guillermo has a rather optimistic look to the referee as he hits the ground under a challenge from Hector Moreno while trying to get on the end of a ball forward from DeMarcos, but there was very little contact in it, and the referee waves for the hosts to play on, while none of his teammates seemed interested in making a case for a penalty.

CHANCE! Finally, it's a clear-cut chance, and it falls to Christian Stuani at the near post following a tidy chip in from Alvarez, but Laporte is there to turn it behind for a corner. Lucas gets a shot away from the resulting set piece, but it's wildly mis-hit, going well wide.

Espanyol have really hit their stride now as Canas carves a path through the middle before looking the slide the ball in for Stuani, but Iraola spots the danger a fires it down the other end for Athletic.

Just as it looks like Espanyol are starting to pose the greater threat, Athletic start getting involved on the counter-attack, with Benat looking for Williams from the cross, but Casillas punches it away before the striker can unleash a shot.

Espanyol win a corner, and they try something a bit different, pulling it back for Ruben Duarte, who waits around 25 yards out before unleashing a dipping shot, but it's high.

BOOKING! Christian Stuani is the first name in the book this afternoon as he is shown the yellow for an excessively heavy challenge on Laporte, who is left clutching his ankle. The yellow card means the striker will be suspended for Espanyol's next game.

The home side soon win a free kick of their own when Lucas is fouled, leaving Alvarez to curl it in towards Alvaro, who leaps up high to try to head it, but the keeper comes off his line to punch, and while watching the ball he doesn't spot the defender, and accidentally whacks him in the side of the head. Alvaro is definitely a little shaken, but it looks like he's going to alright. It was a horrible-looking collision, but the home fans are certainly relieved as the defensive linchpin strolls back on a few moments after receiving treatment.

BOOKING! Laporte repays the favor after being brought down by Stuani a few minutes ago, charging into the Espanyol striker and knocking him off his feet to pick up the first yellow card of the day for Bilbao.

Alvarez is on free kick duty again, curling it in towards Canas near the penalty spot, but the winger is crowded out, leaving the visitors to scramble it away.

The home side break the deadlock shortly before the break with a superb break by the captain. Alvarez launches it forward, and Sergio Garcia has too much pace for Laporte, bursting into the box with only the keeper to beat, which he does with ease, slicing it into the left-hand side of the goal. It's a well-taken finish for the skipper's 11th goal of the campaign.

It's getting a little scrappy in the final minutes of this first half as Alvarez and Benat come together in midfield before the referee is forced to blow for a high challenge by Alvaro.

Espanyol are wanting a second before they head into the break, with Canas making a run forward before attempting to find Stuani in the middle, but it's turned behind for a corner as the first half heads into a couple of minutes of injury time.

Lucas dodges a couple of challenges as defenders as he skips into the box in the final seconds before the interval, but his finish lacks power, and is easily claimed by the keeper. Once he boots it away, that should be it for the first half.

So, a cool finish from Sergio Garcia separates the sides at the break as Espanyol look to be heading for back-to-back wins. However, Athletic Bilbao certainly aren't out of it yet, they'll surely be hopeful of turning it around after the break.

Espanyol just edged the possession in the opening 45 minutes with 52%. There has been just the one shot on target from either side, which resulting in the goal for the hosts. Espanyol have had four efforts in total, one more than their opponents.

The visitors certainly haven't been lacking going forward, although they are still to test Hector Moreno in the Espanyol goal. Oscar de Marcos and Mike Rico have certainly looked pacy down the left, but Alvaro and Ruben Duarte have defended well to limit their chances.

As things start, Espanyol will be moving above Bilbao into eighth in the table, 10 points off a spot in the top six, but there's still 45 minutes to play yet.

The players are starting to make their way back out ready for the second half.

RESTART! The visitors get the second half underway.

The home side immediately put the visitors under pressure as Garcia uses his pace to lose Laporte again, before sending a looping cross in for Duarte, but the defender can only scuff the ball into he path of the keeper.

Espanyol certainly are looking the brighter of the two sides as they force a corner. Vazquez crosses it in, but Gorka is ready and comes off his line to punch it clear. Athletic really can't afford to let Espanyol double their lead if they want to keep their European hopes alive.

Bilbao think they have a chance to level the scores as Rico provides a through-ball for Williams, but the striker was a couple of yards offside.

The visitors are starting to threaten a bit more as Benat chips a ball over the top towards De Marcos, but there's just a touch too much on it, and it ends up going behind. Meanwhile, there's a few subs warming up for the hosts, so changes could be imminent.

CHANCE! That's probably the closest Athletic have come to scoring a goal so far this afternoon as San Jose curls the ball in from their first corner of the afternoon, leaving Gurpegui to go for the header, but it flashes just wide.

Iraola wins the ball in midfield for the visitors, but there's no-one free ahead of his. Viguera eventually creates some space, but his shot is poor.

SUBS! It's a double change for the visitors as Mikel Rico and Guillermo head off for Ibai Gomez and Markel Susaeta.

Athletic are continuing to enjoy the majority of the possession at the moment as they chase an equaliser, but they leave themselves open at the back as Alvarez goes on the counter, forcing Gorpegui to turn his cross behind for a corner, but Gorka decisively punches clear.

Susaeta tries to set up fellow Athletic substitute Ibai Gomez, pulling the ball back to him on the edge of the box, but he's not expecting it, and his first touch is a poor one.

SUB! The hosts make their first change, with Christian Stuani making way for Felipe Caicedo.

CHANCE! Francisco Casilla hasn't had a lot to do in the Espanyol goal this afternoon, but he makes a spectacular save to keep the home side ahead as Gomez tries to curl the ball in from the edge of the box, but a diving save from the keeper makes sure it stays out.

CHANCE! Just like that, Casilla has to make another save as the visitors quickly win the ball back in midfield, resulting in a strike for Benat, but his low finish bobbles towards the keeper, leaving him with an easy stop.

SUB! The home side make another change, as Abraham Gonzalez is replaced by Victor Sanchez.

Caicedo makes his first contribution since going off the bench as he plays the bal through towards Victor Sanchez, but the midfielder is offside as the ball comes in.

CHANCE! Caicedo and Sanchez link up again, this time with the latter playing the ball in for the Ecuadorian, but his low finish is easily claimed by the keeper. Caicedo has certainly added some urgency to the Espanyol attack since coming off the bench.

Caicedo is played in again by Sanchez, but this time the delivery has too much on it, and it ends up going straight through to the keeper. Williams tries to apply the pressure down the other end from a counter-attack, but it comes to nothing.

It's started to get rather scrappy and stop-start in the last few minutes as both sides send in some crunching tackles to make sure their opponents' runs are halted. While chances have been scarce throughout, it's certainly been an interesting battle, and it should be an entertaining final 10 minutes as both sides seek the all important next goal.

CHANCE! From nowehere, Gomez sends in a wicked cross, accurately picking out Williams with the rocket of a delivery, but the sudden changed up in pace seemed to catch the striker out too, and he couldn't quite squeeze it in at the far post.

SUB! It's a final change for the home side as Francisco Montanes takes over from Lucas for the final few minutes.

Espanyol seem to think that one goal will be enough as they've dropped back to a much more defensive set-up now, with plenty of men behind the ball, but Williams is still finding space in the box as he awaits a ball from Canas. The striker has seen plenty of the ball this afternoon, but his finishes have left a bit to be desired, and this one is no exception.

BOOKING! Francisco Montanes didn't take long to literally make his mark on Iraola, as he picks up a yellow card for dragging the defender down.

BOOKING! Victor Alvarez is the latest player to pick up a booking as he wrestles Mikel San Jose to the ground.

Athletic have a free kick in a promising position as a result of Alvarez's foul, but Alvaro quickly boots it clear for the hosts. There's just a couple of minutes for Espanyol to hold on now.

Athletic have three minutes of stoppage time to try to find the late equaliser.

The visitors win a free kick just inside their own half, and Iraizoz blasts it forward, but Montanes wins it back for the hosts, leaving Bilbao sprinting back.

So, Sergio Garcia's first-half strike proves enough to hand Espanyol all three points, and move the home side above their opponents in the table. That's all from this match, but stick around as we'll be switching our focus to Real Sociedad's match against Deportivo in a few moments. Thanks for joining me this afternoon.