Athletic Club will be eyeing their second win of the new campaign when they host Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
Having secured a win last time out, both Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid will be looking to build on it when they face each other on Saturday at San Mames.
The home team are 12th on the table with three points in as many games. The Basque outfit started the campaign with back-to-back defeats at the hands of Sevilla and Barcelona, but managed to get their first win of the season last time out against Celta Vigo.
It was a clinical performance on both ends of the pitch that saw them win 2-0. Athletic Club will be hoping for a similar performance against giants Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, the visitors have made an unbeaten start to the new campaign. They are third on the table with seven points in their three outings.
Atletico started the season with a win over Malaga but dropped points against Villarreal. However, Diego Simeone’s men did return to winning ways against Sevilla last time out. They dominated the ball and made the most of their chances to secure a 3-1 win.
Los Rojiblancos will be hoping for a better defensive performance against Athletic Club, as they look to build on their promising start. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Athletic Club
Athletic Club have several players unavailable, with Peio Canales (muscle), Daniel Vivian (groin), Unai Eguiluz (cruciate ligament), and Benat Prados (thigh) all currently sidelined with injury.
The home team will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Unai Simon starting between the sticks. Jesus Areso and Yuri Berchiche will feature as the full-backs, while Aitor Paredes is likely to pair up Aymeric Laporte in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta and Benat Gerenabarrena could once again form the double pivot in the middle of the pitch. The duo will look to ensure Atletico Madrid midfielders do not enjoy too much easy possession.
Robert Navarro and Alex Berenguer will feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks, while Oihan Sancet will continue in the number ten role. Finally, Inaki Williams is expected to lead the line against Atletico.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Simon; Areso, Paredes, Laporte, Berchiche; de Galarreta, Gerenabarrena; Navarro, Sancet, Berenguer; Williams
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid do not have any fresh injury concerns, but Diego Simeone does remain without the services of Alexander Sorloth because of a muscle injury.
Atletico Madrid should stick with the 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will take charge in goal. Marcos Llorente and Alejandro Grimaldo should feature as the full-backs, while Marc Pubill is likely to line up alongside David Hancko in the central defensive pairing.
In midfield, Alex Baena and Giuliano Simeone are expected to occupy the wide areas, providing width and support on both ends of the pitch. Pablo Barrios and Morten Hjulmand should form the central midfield pairing, with the duo tasked with controlling possession and protecting the backline.
Up front, Ademola Lookman is likely to partner Lee Kang-in in the final third. The two forwards will look to combine effectively and cause problems for Athletic Club’s backline.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Grimaldo; Simeone, Barrios, Hjulmand, Baena; Kang-in, Lookman
Key Stats
- Athletic Club have beaten Atletico Madrid four times in La Liga since the 2020/21 season; only one other team has done that during this period.
- Athletic Club have found the back of the net just four times in their last five matches.
- Atletico Madrid have bagged ten goals in their last five outings.
- Diego Simeone’s team have won 23 out of the 38 meetings between the two teams, with Athletic Club winning 11 times.
- Atletico Madrid’s last trip to San Mames ended in a 1-0 defeat.
Player to Watch
Alex Baena
The 25-year-old Spanish international is off to a flying start in the new season, having contributed towards four goals in their first three league outings. He has been deployed in different positions in all three outings, but has still managed to have a massive impact on the game.
While he could only manage five goal contributions in his debut campaign and had more of a rotational role, he has taken his game to the next level this time around and looks set to have a very prominent role in the 2026/27 season. He will look to build on his impressive start and help his team clinch all three points here.
Prediction
Athletic Club 1-2 Atletico Madrid
Athletic Club will have the advantage of playing at San Mames, but Atletico Madrid’s unbeaten start and superior attacking quality should make them favourites. The hosts have shown signs of improvement after their win over Celta Vigo, but they will need to be at their best to contain an Atletico side that has scored 10 goals in their last five outings.
Diego Simeone’s men have enough quality across the pitch to make the difference, particularly in the final third. Athletic should make the game competitive and could find the back of the net, but Atletico Madrid’s experience and attacking options should ultimately help them secure all three points. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the away team.
