The Basque derby is one of the biggest fixtures in the Spanish football calendar and Athletic Club and Real Sociedad meet on the 13th of January in La Liga.
The game will be played at the San Mamés Barria and the hosts begin the weekend in 4th place on 38 points while the visitors are in 6th place on 32 points.
✊ VILLALIBRE!! A second brace in the Copa 2023/24 for our striker, who takes his tally to five in total this season. #EibarAthletic 🏆 #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/BtLqpWrHAL— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) January 8, 2024
✊ VILLALIBRE!! A second brace in the Copa 2023/24 for our striker, who takes his tally to five in total this season. #EibarAthletic 🏆 #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/BtLqpWrHAL
Athletic Club come into the match having recorded a 3-0 win at Eibar in the Copa del Rey round of 32.
It took only 17 minutes for Athletic Club to open the scoring and they ensured their progress to the next round before half time. Athletic Club scored their second goal in the 33rd minute and added a third goal 7 minutes later.
The win at Eibar means Athletic Club are undefeated in their 12 most recent fixtures in all competitions and have won each of their last 4 matches.
There have been wins over Celta Vigo, Rayo Vallecano, Atletico Madrid, and Las Palmas at home plus Villarreal and Sevilla away in La Liga. Athletic Club have also defeated Rubí and Cayón away in the Copa del Rey.
Trends show Athletic Club are unbeaten in 19 of their last 21 games in all competitions.
They are undefeated in each of their last 9 home league fixtures, winning 7 of those matches and have kept a clean sheet in their 3 most recent home La Liga games.
Real Sociedad make the short journey to the San Mamés Barria on the back of a 1-0 win at Malaga in the Copa del Rey round of 32 last weekend.
The only goal of the match came at the beginning of the second half and was enough for Real Sociedad to progress.
The win at Malaga means Real Sociedad are undefeated in their 12 most recent fixtures in all competitions.
There have been wins over Almeria and Villarreal away plus Sevilla at home in La Liga.
Real Sociedad have also beat Benfica at home in the Champions League plus Andratx away in the Copa del Rey.
Despite being tough to beat, Real Sociedad have won only 1 of their 5 most recent matches in all competitions.
They are undefeated in each of their last 5 away La Liga games but have been held to a draw in 3 of those matches.
Trends show Real Sociedad have kept a clean sheet in their last 2 La Liga games on the road.
Team news: Athletic Club are without forward Iñaki Williams who is on international duty with Ghana. There are doubts over the fitness of Dani García and Yeray Álvarez.
Real Sociedad have three players on international duty, with Takefusa Kubo, Hamari Traore, and Sadiq Umar unavailable.
Goalkeeper Alex Remiro is suspended plus Andre Silva, Aritz Elustondo, and Martín Merquelanz are injured.
This has the makings of being a tight game and Real Sociedad have become specialists in drawing games of late. Athletic Club have been solid at home in recent league games so this match could end level at 0-0.