On Saturday night, Athletic Club hosts Real Madrid at San Mames as both teams look to kick off their 2023/24 La Liga campaign with a victory.
The Basque team finished eighth-place last season in the Spanish top flight, finishing just two points adrift of the European spots in La Liga.
5⃣ days until our @LaLigaEN's first match. 🆚 @realmadriden #AthleticRealMadrid #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/scP9x8wE46— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) August 7, 2023
5⃣ days until our @LaLigaEN's first match. 🆚 @realmadriden #AthleticRealMadrid #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/scP9x8wE46
Athletic will look to improve upon that finish this season and claim one of those prestigious berths.
However, their pre-season campaign has not been great, as they have failed to win any of the last five matches this summer, winning just one of their seven pre-season outings.
The boys from Bilbao would have claimed a European spot last season if it were not for their poor end-of-season form, as they won just one of their previous eight games in the Spanish top flight.
Athletic have also lost three of their previous four league matches in La Liga while failing to score in all three winless home games.
Los Blancos will be looking to mount a stronger title challenge to Spanish champions Barcelona this season after finishing second place last season, ten points behind their arch-rivals.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team has endured mixed fortunes in pre-season, as the men from Madrid have beaten Milan and Manchester United but also lost against Barcelona and Juventus in the summer games.
Real Madrid finished last season with a slightly mixed run of form in La Liga, although they did win three of their final five matches in the Spanish top flight.
They didn’t finish the season on their travels well, though, losing three of their last four league matches on the road.
A 2-1 win at Sevilla in their previous away game of the campaign ended a three-match losing run away from home.
🔀 ¡Uno, dos, pisada y para dentro! ⚽ @Lucasvazquez91 📺 INSIDE TRAINING 👉 https://t.co/5KNSugFW3t#RMCity | #RMPlay pic.twitter.com/C0TzIn3CLz— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) August 7, 2023
🔀 ¡Uno, dos, pisada y para dentro! ⚽ @Lucasvazquez91 📺 INSIDE TRAINING 👉 https://t.co/5KNSugFW3t#RMCity | #RMPlay pic.twitter.com/C0TzIn3CLz
Forebet predicts that Real Madrid will kick off their title challenge with a victory in a high-scoring encounter at San Mames.