Athletic Bilbao will host Atlético Madrid at Estadio San Mamés on Saturday, August 31st, 2024, in the 4th round of La Liga. Both teams are searching for their first win of the season, making this an important match for both sides. Bilbao, playing at home, will aim to capitalize on their home advantage to secure a much-needed victory, while Atlético Madrid, one of the league’s heavyweights, will be determined to kickstart their season with a win.

This encounter promises to be a tightly contested battle, with both teams eager to set their campaign on the right track. The atmosphere at San Mamés will be electric as the home fans rally behind their team, but Atlético will be looking to spoil the party and take all three points.

Athletic Bilbao started their season with a draw against Getafe, which was surprising given their strong start in that match. Sancet put Bilbao ahead in the 26th minute, but Getafe managed to equalize in the 64th minute through Uche’s header, which Padilla couldn’t keep out. Despite this setback, Bilbao showed resilience in their next match against Barcelona, one of the toughest teams in La Liga. Sancet again played a key role, converting a penalty in the 42nd minute to level the score after Yamal’s early strike. However, a 75th-minute goal from Lewandowski sealed the win for Barcelona. They finally got their first win of the season against Valencia with a clean sheet.

As they prepare to face Atlético Madrid, Bilbao will be eager to secure their first win in front of their home fans at San Mamés. This match presents an opportunity for them to build on their promising performances and finally get the result they need. However, it won’t be easy, as they face an Atlético Madrid side that has regained its momentum following a strong showing over the weekend. Bilbao will need to work hard to overcome Simeone’s men, but the fans, buoyed by a positive summer transfer window, will be hopeful of seeing their team come out on top.

Atlético Madrid is gearing up for their away match against Athletic Bilbao as the fixture approaches. The team had a somewhat slow start to the season, drawing their opener against Villarreal away from home. In that match, Atlético had to fight hard to secure a point, coming from behind twice. Llorente and Sorloth were crucial in pulling them back into the game after an own goal by Koke had put Villarreal ahead for the second time.

However, Atlético Madrid responded with a much stronger performance in their following match, comfortably defeating Girona at home with a dominant display, earning 3 points and scoring 3 goals. Atletico Madrid dropped 2 points after they played a goalless draw against Espanyol at home. As they prepare to travel to Estadio San Mamés, they will be eager to replicate a convincing performance against Bilbao.

Antoine Griezmann, after the match against Girona, highlighted that the chemistry with new signing Julián Álvarez isn’t yet at its peak, something they are keen to improve in training. The fans have high expectations for this team, especially following the exciting additions made during the summer transfer window. They will be watching closely to see how the new talents gel with the rest of the squad as the season progresses. Atlético Madrid will be looking to build on their recent success and continue to find that cohesion as they aim for another strong performance away from home.

Athletic Bilbao and Atlético Madrid have faced off 63 times, with 32 of those encounters taking place at Estadio San Mamés and 31 at the Metropolitano. Atlético Madrid’s visits to San Mamés have generally been successful, as they have won 22 matches on this ground, compared to Bilbao’s 5 victories. At the Metropolitano, the balance is slightly more in favor of Bilbao, with 14 wins to Atlético’s 13.

Despite Atlético’s overall dominance, especially away from home, Athletic Bilbao has shown resilience in recent encounters. Last season, Bilbao managed to win 3 out of the 4 matches against Atlético, signaling their readiness to challenge the historical trend in this fixture. While Atlético Madrid may seem to hold the upper hand in this tie, Bilbao’s recent success suggests they are prepared to take the fight to their visitors once again.

Only 9 of these 63 matches have ended in draws, with the last goalless draw occurring in 2021, following a previous one in 2015. This indicates that matches between these two sides typically produce results, adding to the excitement of the upcoming clash. Both teams will be eager to prove themselves—Bilbao looking to maintain the momentum they built last season and Atlético aiming to reassert their dominance. It promises to be a tightly contested and entertaining affair that fans won’t want to miss!

Best tip: Athletic Bilbao vs Madrid X2

Correct Score: 1-2