Match Pack: Athletic Club vs Elche CF (LaLiga MD37)

Athletic Club host Elche CF in the last fixture of the season at San Mames. What's more, the Zurigorri need to win if they are to keep their European hopes alive.

To head into the final day at Santiago Bernabeu with the best chance of qualification, it's imperative the Lions beat Los Ilicitanos while we will also need other results to go our way.

Match Info
Athletic Club vs Elche CF

San Mames (Bilbao)

LaLiga Santander 22/23 (Matchday 37)

Sunday May 28, 19:00 CEST

How to Watch
When and where to watch Sunday's match in Bilbao

Team News
Valverde has named the same 22-man squad as last week for Sunday's clash in Bilbao.

Jon Morcillo, Iñigo Martínez, Yeray Álvarez, Dani García and Ander Herrera are unavailable with their respective injuries. Bilbao Athletic midfielders Unai Gómez and Junior Bita have been called up as cover again.

Valverde's Comments
Catch up with what he had to say in his pre-match press conference.

The Opponents

Head coach: Sebastián Beccacece

The 42-year-old Argentinian tactician replaced Pablo Machín at the Martinez Valero in March 2023, but was unable to save the side from relegation.

Beccacece spent the first decade of his coaching career working with fellow Argentinian Jorge Sampoali before going it alone to take over Universidad de Chile in 2016 and later Defensa y Justicia.

He teamed up with Sampoali again to lead the Argentinian national team in 2017/18, and then went on to manage Defensa y Justicia (for second and third spells), CA Independiente and Racing Club.

Top goalscorer: Pere Milla

The Catalonian winger has been at Elche for three seasons now, joining from SD Eibar in 2019/20. So far this campaign he has scored six goals in 29 appearances.

Recent form (LaLiga): WLWDD

Elche are unbeaten since their relegation was confirmed on Matchday 33. In their last five matches they have won twice, drawn twice and lost once. Their most recent outing was a 1-1 draw with Sevilla FC.

Previous Meetings
The first LaLiga meeting between the two clubs was a 5-0 Athletic win at San Mames in 1959/60. In total they have played each other 47 times in the top-flight, with Los Leones registering 21 wins, 15 draws and 11 losses.

The Zurigorri have a strong home record against Los Ilicitanos. From the 23 LaLiga matches in Bilbao, Athletic have won 16, drawn six and lost just one.

The last five clashes at The Cathedral, stretching back to the 88/89 campaign, are indicative of how difficult Elche find their trips to Bilbao.

Los Rojiblancos ran out 1-4 winners in this season's reverse fixture at the Martinez Valero. Elche's Nicolas Fernández kicked off proceedings with an own goal before Oihan Sancet, Nico Williams and Alex Berenguer completed the rout.