These two clubs are both competing in the newly formatted Europa League and they expect to qualify for continental competition again via LALIGA EA SPORTS, making the three points at stake in this Sunday’s BASQUE DERBY extra valuable.

The Basque Country has long been hailed for its passion for football, and there are few rivalries in Europe that encapsulate that spirit better than then one between Athletic Club and Real Sociedad. The BASQUE DERBY always matchdayspecial place in the hearts of LALIGA fans, with the stakes for these clashes extending far beyond regional bragging rights. 

Over the last few years, both teams have found themselves vying for a coveted spot in European competitions, making their matchups a defining moment in each LALIGA EA SPORTS campaign. Athletic Club and Real Sociedad have been permanent suitors of the European spots, with the two clubs pulling off some memorable moments in continental competitions.

Major achievements in Europe

Athletic Club’s greatest achievement in European football was reaching the 2011/12 UEFA Europa League final under Marcelo Bielsa. Known for their high-energy and pressing style, Bielsa’s side went past some of Europe’s top teams en route to the final. 

Their campaign included a stunning victory over Manchester United in the Round of 16, where they beat the Red Devils 3-2 at Old Trafford and qualified 5-3 on aggregate. They followed this with thrilling wins against Schalke 04 in the quarterfinals (6-4 on aggregate) and Sporting CP in the semi-finals (4-3 on aggregate). In an all-Spanish final, Athletic Club faced Atlético de Madrid, who grabbed a 3-0 victory to win the trophy. 

As well as that European journey, the club had previously come close to European success in the 1976/77 UEFA Cup, losing the two-legged final to Juventus on away goals (2–2 on aggregate), even knocking out FC Barcelona and AC Milan en route. 

Real Sociedad’s most significant run in Europe came in the 1982/83 European Cup, currently the UEFA Champions League, when they reached the semi-finals. The Txuri-urdin defeated Víkingur Reykjavík before overcoming Celtic 3–2 on aggregate in the second round. Yet, their journey ended in the semi-finals, where they were narrowly eliminated by Hamburg, losing 3–2 on aggregate.

La Real are a European mainstay under Imanol Alguacil

Imanol Alguacil’s promotion to become Real Sociedad first-team head coach in 2018 rejuvenated the club and led La Real to new heights both domestically, where they won a Copa del Rey, and in Europe. Under his leadership, the Txuri-urdin have clinched European qualification five times in a row, finishing above their Basque rivals in the table each season between 2019/20 and 2022/23. 

A top-four finish in 2022/23 saw Real Sociedad clinch UEFA Champions League participation, a much-anticipated comeback to the major European competition. La Real topped their group for the first time in their history, as they remained unbeaten in the group stage, securing three wins and three draws in six duels.

Ernesto Valverde brings Athletic Club back where they belong

The 2023/24 season would mark the first time in five years where Los Leones finished above Real Sociedad in the LALIGA EA SPORTS standings. The return of Ernesto Valverde, the coach who led the team to their last UEFA Champions League qualification by clinching fourth spot in the league table in 2013/14, inspired Athletic Club to their best league finish since 2015/16. 

After finishing eighth and narrowly missing out on European spots in 2022/23, Valverde oversaw a successful campaign in which his team celebrated their first major trophy in 40 years by securing the Copa del Rey and they finished fifth in the table – eight points above sixth-placed Real Sociedad.

The battle goes on, domestically and in the Europa League

Athletic Club’s return to European competitions for the first time since 2017/18 has seen Valverde’s team compete in the newly formatted Europa League along with their Basque rivals. After four rounds of action, it’s the Bilbao-based outfit who are faring better, currently in sixth place while Real Sociedad are 25th.

Meanwhile, they are also battling in LALIGA EA SPORTS and, 13 rounds into the season, Athletic Club also sit sixth in this table, but they’re just two points above eighth-placed Real Sociedad. After a slow start to the campaign with one victory in seven games, Imanol Alguacil’s side have bounced back in their bid to turn the season around. With an extraordinary display at home against league leaders FC Barcelona, Real Sociedad grabbed a well-earned 1-0 victory in their last match, demonstrating that they have what it takes to be in the race for European spots again this term.

Taking into account that it’s still early in the season, Sunday’s BASQUE DERBY at San Mamés may not decide anything yet. However, a victory this matchday means something more than the three points, as the winners could deal their rivals a serious blow to their morale in this constant battle for a European spot.