Athletic Club vs English teams in European competitions
Athletic Club vs English teams in European competitions
The Lions have played a total of 20 matches against six different English opponents in European matches
With Athletic Club set to host English giants Arsenal FC at San Mames in our 2025/26 Champions League opener, we've decided to take a look back through the Lions' previous European encounters against English sides.
In total we've played 20 fixtures against a six different English opponents in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Cup/Europa League and UEFA Champions League/European Cup.
MANCHESTER UNITED
We've faced the Red Devils six times in European competition. Our first continental match against an English side came back in the 1956/57 European Cup when we took on Man Utd's famous Busby Babes in a quarter-final first leg on a snowy day in Bilbao.
The Lions emerged 5-3 winners at San Mames. However, we lost 3-0 in the second leg, which was played at Manchester City's Maine Road as Old Trafford lacked floodlights.
*Photo from 56/57 clash at San Mames.
Unfortunately, exactly a year after the match in Manchester, several figures from that talented generation of United players perished in the Munich Air Disaster.
Marcelo Bielsa's Athletic side made history as they knocked United out of the 2011/12 Europa League in the round of 16. The Lions thrilled our 8,000 travelling Athleticzales at the Theatre of Dreams with a 2-3 win in the first leg, before following that up with a 2-1 victory at San Mames.
Los Leones and Red Devils locked horns again last season. Athletic, down to 10 men after Dani Vivian was sent off in the 30th minute, lost 0-3 in Bilbao. Mikel Jauregizar offered a glimmer of hope when he opened the scoring at Old Trafford, but it wasn't to be as the Lions fell to a 1-4 loss.
Check all the details of our European clashes with Man Utd
ASTON VILLA
The Zurigorri first crossed paths with the Birmingham-based outfit in the 1977/78 UEFA Cup round of 16. The Villans won 2-0 at Villa Park and we drew 1-1 in the return leg at San Mames with Dani Ruiz-Bázan scoring for Athletic in the 85th minute.
*Photo from 97/98 match at San Mames
Thirty years later we met again in the 1997/98 UEFA Cup round of 32. The Lions held Villa to 0-0 draw in Birmingham but fell to a 1-2 loss in Bilbao. Ian Taylor and Dwight Yorke scored for Villa while Javi González netted for us.
Check all the details of our European clashes with Aston Villa
LIVERPOOL FC
In 1968/69, the Lions welcome Liverpool FC to San Mames in the first round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Goals from Nicolas Estefano and Javier Ormaza led Athletic to a 2-1 home win in the first leg.
Chris Lawler and Emelyn Hughes bagged late strikes to cancel out Jose Maria Argoitia's first-half goal at Anfield. As penalties weren't an official part of the sport back then, Athletic went through to the next round after winning a coin toss.
🪙 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑖𝑛
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) August 10, 2021
📍 Anfield, 𝟬𝟮/𝟭𝟬/𝟭𝟵𝟲𝟴
We relive with Txopo Iribar the historic night of 1/32 of the final of the Fairs Cup against @LFC.#AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/kFNPq1MwS1
Javier Clemente's Lions faced the Reds in the 1983/84 European Cup round of 16. The Zurigorri achieved a hard-fought 0-0 draw in Liverpool, but were knocked out of the competition by an Ian Rush strike in Bilbao.
That draw at Anfield was the only knockout match the Liverpudlians didn't win as they went on to lift the trophy.
Check all the details of our European clashes with Liverpool FC
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Athletic met the Magpies for the first time in the 1994/95 UEFA Cup round of 32. The tie is most well remembered for the connections made between the Athleticzales and the Toony Army.
Los Leones were 3-0 after 60 minutes in the first leg at St. James' Park, but managed to get two crucial away goals to make it 3-2 in the end.
The party continued in Bilbao, where Kuko Ziganda got the all-important strike to make sure Athletic went through to the next round.
👏 Always a canny match like! 😉
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) May 30, 2022
🎥 @EuropaLeague Round of 32, 1994/95
🔎 Learn more about @NUFC and the city of Newcastle 👉 https://t.co/4HoobLBGVk#NewcastleAthletic #AthleticClub 🦁pic.twitter.com/GMQ73DF2qc
After the full-time whistle went, Athleticzales rushed on to the pitch and ran to the away end to give the Newcastle fans a standing ovation.
Check all the details of our European clashes with Newcastle United
SOUTHAMPTON FC
We took on the Saints in the first round of the 1971/72 UEFA Cup. Athletic lost the first leg 2-1 at Southampton's old stadium, The Dell.
However, we were 2-0 winners in Bilbao. Josu Ortuendo levelled the scores in the 69th minute and Anton Arieta delivered the final blow just before stoppage time.
*Photo from 71/72 match at San Mames
Cyclists Eddy Merckx and Luis Ocaña took a ceremonial kick-off before proceedings got underway at The Cathedral.
Check all the details of our European clashes with Southampton FC
MANCHESTER CITY
Athletic encountered the Citizens in the 1969/70 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup round of 32. Two sides played out a thrilling 3-3 draw at San Mames. Argoitia, Javier Clemente and Fidel Uriarte were on the scoresheet for the Zurigorri.
*Photo from 69/70 clash at San Mames.
However, the Lions strugged in the return leg at Maine Road. Joe Mercer's talented side, English champions just two season prior, won 3-0 and then went on to win the tournament outright, defeating Polish side Górnik Zabrze in the final.
Check all the details of our European clashes with Manchester City
*All photos belong to AC Museoa
