Both teams will aim for a much-needed win in one of the most-anticipated derbies of the 2025/26 LALIGA EA SPORTS campaign
One of the most unique derbies in European football is set to take place this weekend, as Real Sociedad host Athletic Club on Saturday. The BASQUE DERBY is expected to be the highlight of Matchday 11, as both teams look to grab a much-needed victory that would serve as a boost in morale following below-par starts to the 2025/26 LALIGA EA SPORTS campaign. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.
Real Sociedad are building momentum
The Txuri-urdin didn’t kick off the post-Imanol Alguacil era as they would have hoped. With former Real Sociedad B coach Sergio Francisco in charge, the Basque side won just one of their first eight league games of the season. The October international break then served as an opportunity to regroup and bounce back by grabbing a 1-1 draw away at RC Celta in Matchday 9 and then a 2-1 victory at home to Sevilla FC in Matchday 10.
In last weekend’s game at Anoeta, where this upcoming derby will also take place, La Real took the lead 19 minutes in through Mikel Oyarzabal, who netted from the spot. Nemanja Gudelj levelled the scores on the half-an-hour mark, but the Real Sociedad captain completed a brace before the break and the hosts managed to hold on to their lead in the second half for their second victory of the season.
It means Real Sociedad are now outside of the relegation zone, but only just. On nine points, they’re in 17th position but level on points with 18th-placed Valencia CF. So, this weekend’s derby is huge in terms of the relegation battle.
Athletic Club look to rediscover their spark
Meanwhile in Bilbao, Ernesto Valverde’s side failed to impress last weekend against a superior Getafe CF, who netted with 15 minutes to go through Borja Mayoral to escape with a 1-0 win and all three points from San Mames. After winning three straight league games to open the campaign, Los Leones have grabbed just one victory in their last seven LALIGA EA SPORTS matches. Struggling to create quality chances in the final third, Athletic Club have recorded four losses in which they failed to find the back of the net during that stretch.
Having won just one of their four league games away from home so far this season, it’ll be a concern that this first derby of the campaign is taking place in San Sebastián. Los Leones currently sit ninth in the table, five points ahead of their rivals, and a victory on the road could reinstate Valverde’s team back into the European spots, where they aim to be when the season is over in late May.
Athletic Club’s unbeaten run vs Real Sociedad’s home domination in recent derbies
Athletic Club certainly won’t have it easy at Anoeta. Los Leones haven’t won a single BASQUE DERBY on the road since 2017 – in Valverde’s second tenure as their coach before heading to FC Barcelona. In fact, Real Sociedad have won five of the last eight clashes between the two teams in San Sebastián, with three of them ending in a draw.
However, Athletic Club remain unbeaten in the last three derbies overall, with Los Leones winning two of those matches. Real Sociedad’s last win against their fellow Basque side was a 3-0 home triumph in 2023, with Robin Le Normand, Take Kubo and Oyarzabal scoring one each. What followed was back-to-back home victories for Athletic Club, who won 1-0 in last season’s derby at San Mames thanks to an Oihan Sancet decider. Meanwhile, the last Basque derby ended in a 0-0 draw at Anoeta in early May, meaning that Athletic Club have gone unbeaten in their last three encounters with Real Sociedad.
It now remains to be seen if the Txuri-urdin will extend their home undefeated streak against Los Leones to nine games, or whether Valverde’s side will escape from San Sebastián with Athletic Club’s third victory in four Basque derbies.
