Athletic to kick off LaLiga 2021-22 against Elche CF
Athletic to kick off LaLiga 2021-22 against Elche CF
The Lions will face Elche CF at the Martínez Valero on weekend of August 15, first match at San Mamés will be against FC Barcelona the following week
Athletic Club are set to kick off their 91st campaign in LaLiga Santander on the weekend of August 15. The Lions’ first opponent of the 2021-22 season will be Elche CF, the same team Marcelino’s side played at the end of the 2020-21 season.
Athletic have faced Elche CF once before on the first day of the season, back in 1964-65, with the Rojiblancos winning 2-1 at The Cathedral.
The first match of the 21-22 campaign at San Mamés will be against FC Barcelona on August 22. What’s more, Athletic will close out the season at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuan against Sevilla FC on May 22.
This season’s Basque derbies will see the Lions take on Real Sociedad (San Mamés on February 20, Reale Arena on October 31), Deportivo Alavés (San Mamés on October 3, Mendizorrotza on January 9) and CA Osasuna (San Mamés on May 15, El Sadar on January 2).
Since facing Real Sociedad in our first ever top-flight match in 1929, the Rojiblancos have come up against 32 different teams in the season opener.
Out of the previous 90 opening fixtures, Athletic have played 53 home matches and 37 away clashes. The Lions’ record stands at 38 wins, 17 draws and 35 losses.
FC Barcelona are Athletic’s most regular first-day rivals, with the two sides having started the season against each other 10 times to date The most recent clash was a 1-0 home win at San Mamés in 2019-20, which Athletic won thanks to a stunning Aritz Aduriz bicycle kick in the 89th minute.
The Lions’ biggest ever win in an opening-day fixture came back in 1932-33 when they beat Real Betis 9-1 at The Cathedral, while the best away win was a 0-3 victory over RC Celta in 1958-59.
