Match Pack: Athletic Club vs Real Sociedad (LaLiga MD14)

The 2024/25 LaLiga Basque Derby comes to Bilbao. With both sides in strong form at the moment, a thriller might be in store for spectators at San Mames.

With two weeks off due to the international break, Athletic Club will be looking to keep their unbeaten run going - the Lions have not suffered defeat since early October.

Meanwhile, our Basque rivals Real Sociedad are in a rich vein of form and come into the match in high spirits having defeated FC Barcelona before the break.

 

Match Info
Athletic Club vs Real Sociedad

San Mames, Bilbao

LaLiga EA Sports 24/25 (Matchday 14)

Sunday November 24, 21:00 CET

Tickets can be purchased via this link. 
 

How to Watch
Check out our global TV guide to make sure you don't miss the match 
 

Team News
Valverde named a 24-man squad for the clash in Bilbao.

Unai Simón is back from the injury which has kept him out since the start of the season. Javier Martón and Adama Boiro drop out of the matchday squad.



Valverde's Comments
The gaffer said he's expecting "an intense match" where "individual duels will be important".

Catch up with everything he had to say at his pre-match press conference. 

 

⚔️ "This is the Basque Derby, we don't want to let the people down."

🎙️ Ernesto Valverde on #AthleticRealSociedad

🔗 https://t.co/8Bv1hdu57H#AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/HhxLGTzS0Q

— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) November 23, 2024

The Opponents

Head coach: Imanol Alguacil

The former Real Sociedad player is now into his seventh season in charge of the Txuriurdin. After hanging up his boots in 2003, Algucil initially joined la Real as a youth coach in 2012.

He gradually made his way through the ranks, taking on the B team and having a spell as interim head-coach, before being give the top job permantly in December 2019.
 

Top scorer: Takefusa Kubo
 

A skillful attacking player, Kubo, 23, has made 39 international appearances for Japan. Kubo joined Real Sociedad from Real Madrid in 2022.

The winger had a spell at FC Barcelona youth academy before starting his professional career at FC Tokyo in 2017.

He moved to Los Blancos in 2019, but never made a full debut there, instead being sent out on loan to various clubs such as Real Mallorca (twice, in 2019/20 and again in 2021/22), Villarreal CF and Getafe CF.

Since moving to Donostia, Kubo has scored 19 times in 78 appearances. So far this season he has three goals after 13 matches.
 

Recent form: DWLWW
 

Despite a shaky start to the season, which saw the Txuriurdin win just once in their opening five fixtures, Alguacil's side have produced improved performances of late.

They have three wins, one draw and one loss from their last five fixtures, while their most recent outing was a 1-0 home win over league leaders FC Barcelona.
 

 

Previous Meetings
One of LaLiga's most renowned fixtures, the Basque Derby has taken place in the top-flights 154 times since the first clash all the way back in the inaugural 1928/29 season.
 

The two sides have clashed 77 times at The Cathedral, with Athletic recording 42 wins, 20 draws and 15 defeats.
 

 

The Zurrigorri have had the upper hand over our Basque rivals at San Mames in recent years.
 

 

Despite a late consolation goal by Mikel Oyarzabal for Real Sociedad, a first half brace by Alex Berenguer lead Athletic Club to a 2-1 victory in last season's Basque Derby at The Cathedral.