Athletic will kick off LaLiga 22/23 against RCD Mallorca
Athletic will kick off LaLiga 22/23 against RCD Mallorca
Athletic to get LaLiga 22/23 underway at San Mamés against RCD Mallorca and end the season with a clash against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu
It is official. Athletic Club’s first LaLiga 2022/23 opponent will be RCD Mallorca. The match will take place at San Mamés on the weekend of August 12. It is the third time the two sides have met on the opening day of the season, with the Lions having beaten the Balearic islanders 2-0 in 69/70 and 2-1 in 87/88.
The Lions will get used to playing at home early doors, with five of Athletic’s first seven fixtures of the campaign taking place in Bilbao. The first away game comes on Matchday 3 with Athletic facing Cádiz CF on August 28, while we will wrap up the season at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid on June 4.
Due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar (from November 21 to December 18), there will be a mid-season break in competition from November 9 to December 29. Athletic’s last match before the pause sees them meet Real Valladolid at home and they return with an away clash against Real Betis over the New Year’s weekend.
As for Basque derbies, the Lions will play Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena on Matchday 16 (January 14), while the return fixture at San Mamés will take place on May 16. Los Rojiblancos will face Osasuna at The Cathedral on Matchday 16 (January 8) and head to El Sadar on Matchday 36.
LaLiga Openers
Since Athletic Club took on Real Sociedad in their ever LaLiga match all the way back in1929, the Lions have faced 32 different opponents on the first day of the season.
Of the 91 season openers so far, Athletic have played 53 home matches and 38 away matches, with a record of 38 wins, 18 draws and 35 defeats.
Los Rojiblancos’ most regular opening day opponent is FC Barcelona, with the two clubs having started the season against each other on ten occasions. The most recent season opener between the two was a 1-0 home win at San Mamés in 2019/20, Athletic emerging victorious thanks to Aritz Aduriz’s stunning bicycle kick in the 89th minute.
Los Leones’ biggest win on the opening day came in 1932/33, when they beat Real Betis 9-1 at The Cathedral, while the biggest away victory was a 3-0 win over RC Celta in 1958/59.