Athletic Bilbao VS Real Sociedad

Round 11 of the Spanish La Liga concludes with a high-stakes clash. Athletic Club will host their local rivals, Real Sociedad, on November 2, 2026. As the preview suggests, this marks the first Basque Derby of the current La Liga season—a fixture that is always intense, where prestige often outweighs the simple value of three points. Notably, both teams enter this major encounter in excellent form. Bilbao: 7th Place, with Games in Hand Athletic Bilbao currently sits in 7th place in the La Liga standings. According to the league table: they have played 9 matches, scored 12 goals, conceded 9, and collected 12 points. They still have two games in hand compared to the teams above them; a victory in this derby could propel them straight into the upper echelons of the table. Bilbao’s form: W-W-L-D-W—comprising three wins, one draw, and one loss in their last five matches. The trend is positive. However, they will be without three players: - Egiluz U. (Knee injury) - Guruzeta G. (Knee injury) - Ruiz de Galarreta I. (Hamstring injury) In the attacking third, Bilbao remains highly dangerous, spearheaded by the duo of Nico Williams (10) and Iñaki Williams (9), supported by A. Laporte at the heart of the defense and A. Berenguer in the midfield. Real Sociedad: 5th Place, Entering the Derby in Top Form Real Sociedad arrives in a stronger position in the standings.