Match Pack: Athletic Club vs Real Valladolid CF (LaLiga MD14)

The last official match of the year at San Mamés. After a disappointing defeat against Girona on Friday, Athletic Club will be looking to bounce back with a win in front of their fans in what will be Los Leones' last LaLiga clash before the World Cup break.

The visitors are Real Valladolid CF. Pacheta's side are back in the top-flight after a season-long hiatus in the Segunda División and they're proving to be tough opposition.

It should be an interesting clash of styles, with both sides hoping to ensure they go into the festive period in high spirits.

Match Info
Athletic Club vs Real Valladolid (Matchday 14)

San Mamés (Bilbao)

LaLiga Santander 22/23

Tuesday November 8, 20:00 CET

How to Watch

Use our global TV guide to make sure you don't miss the match, no matter where you are in the world.

Team News

Ernesto Valverde has named a 25-man squad for the fixture. Dani García is the only major injury absence, while goalkeeper Ander Iru has been brought up into the squad from Bilbao Athletic.

Valverde's comments

Catch up with everything the Gaffer had to say at his pre-match press conference

The Opponents
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Head coach: Pacheta

José Rojo Martín, aka 'Pacheta', started off his playing career with CD Numancia in 1989. He slowly climbed up through the leagues before joining RCD Espanyol in 1994, spending a few season with the Catalans before going back to Numancia. After hanging up his boots in 2004, the midfielder swiftly moved into coaching.

His first job saw him take over as caretaker manager at Numancia at the end of the 2008/09 season. From there he has an extensive and varied career. Mostly managing in the lower leagues, and a couple of spells abroad - in Poland with Korona Kielce and Thailand with Ratchaburi FC - Pacheta's first big success came when he led Elche to the Primera Division via the play-offs. However, he left the club soon after.

He eventually got his shot in LaLiga Santander when SD Huesca appointed him in January 2021, but he was unable to save the Aragoneses from relegation and resgined at the end of the campaign. In June 2021, Pacheta went to Real Valladolid, taking them back into the Primera after a second-placed finish.

Top scorer: Sergio León

The Córdoba-born striker is off to a solid start this season, having netted five goals in 12 appearances so far. León's youth career saw him come up through the ranks at Real Betis.

However, he only once featured for the Andalusian outfit and left for Reus in in 2011. From there Sergio moved to Elche, spending a couple of seasons with their B team before establishing himself in the first team in the 2015/16 campaign. Twenty-two Segunda goals that season earned him a move to LaLiga Santander outfit Osasuna, where he scored 10 goals in 33 appearances.

Ahead of 2017/18, the forward moved back to Real Betis, bagging 16 goals across two campaigns. A two-year spell at Levante UD followed, but he struggled for minutes and goals.

Pacheta brought the now 33-year-old León to Real Valladolid ahead of the 2021/22 season, in which he struck the back of the net seven times in 32 matches. His goals and experience helped the side to an automatic promotion spot, and he is repaying that trust, having seemingly found his best form once again.

Recent form: LWWLW

After a stumbling start to life back in the big time, which saw Pacheta's side win just one of their first six matches, Valladolid seemed to have a turned a corner. Since a 0-1 defeat to Cádiz before the international break in September, the Pucelanos have won four, drawn once and lost twice.

Previous Meetings
Real Valladolid's first ever LaLiga visit to Bilbao was a 7-2 win for Los Leones in the 1948/49 season, a match in which Telmo Zarra and Panizo scored hat-tricks. In total the two sides have met in the top-flight 90 times, with Athletic winning 39 matches, drawing 26 and losing 25.

As for matches played at San Mamés, Athletic haved tended to come out on top. Out of 45 clashes, the Lions have won 30, drawn 12 and lost just three.

Real Valladolid CF have failed to take all three points on any of their last five visits to San Mamés. With Los Rojiblancos managing three draws and two wins. What's more, the Pucelanos last emerged victorious in Bilbao in the 2003/04 season.

The most recent encounter was a real thriller. Back in 2020/21, Athletic twice took the lead but Real Valladolid kept fighting their way back to earn a point.

Left-winger Jon Morcillo get the Lions off the mark with his first top-flight goal, a whipped finish from the edge of the box. Fabián Orellana struck back in the 70th minute, before Raúl García re-establish Los Leones' five minutes later. However, the visitors got the leveller via Shon Weissman.