Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad: Lineups, Prediction, Betting Tips & Odds

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad Match Summary

The Basque derby lands at San Mamés on Sunday night, and Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad pits a stubborn home side against a visiting attack in flying form in LaLiga.

Athletic Club sit seventh on 13 points, and Edin Terzić wants cool heads in his first derby while still going hard for a home win.

Real Sociedad arrive fifth in the table under Pellegrino Matarazzo, having led at half-time and won at full-time in each of their last 4 LaLiga matches.

There is nothing loose about this rivalry, though. Six of Athletic Club's last seven matches against Real Sociedad in all competitions have finished under 2.5 goals.

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad Form

Athletic Club are unbeaten in the league lately and arrive off a 4-0 thrashing of Getafe at San Mamés, with Álex Berenguer and Iñaki Williams among the scorers. They followed that up by beating AE Prat in the Copa del Rey. The real strength is at the back, though, with five clean sheets from their last seven LaLiga outings.

Real Sociedad's winning run rolled on with a 2-1 home victory over Levante, Orri Óskarsson and Beñat Turrientes on target. Gonçalo Guedes is the danger man, with a goal or assist in each of his last three LaLiga appearances, and Mikel Oyarzabal leads the line. The catch is a defence that struggles against counter-attacks and wide play.

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad Lineups & Team News

Injuries & Suspensions

Athletic Bilbao: Gorka Guruzeta (Injured/out), Unai Egiluz (Injured/out), Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta (Injured/out), Oihan Sancet (Injured/out), Peio Canales (Injured/doubtful)

Real Sociedad: Arsen Zakharyan (Injured/out), Álvaro Odriozola (Injured/out), Luken Beitia (Injured/doubtful)

Athletic Bilbao

Athletic are without Gorka Guruzeta, who has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and is not expected back until May, while Unai Egiluz remains a long-term absentee until January. Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta (hamstring) and Oihan Sancet (soleus) are also out, and Peio Canales is a doubt with an unspecified problem despite being named in the probable XI. The good news is that Aymeric Laporte is available again after serving his suspension, and Álvaro Djaló is back in contention after illness.

Real Sociedad

Álvaro Odriozola remains out as he recovers from a cruciate ligament injury, Arsen Zakharyan is ruled out with an ankle problem and Luken Beitia is a doubt with an ankle sprain. Jon Aramburu is fit after his soleus injury and Yangel Herrera is available, which strengthens the visitors' hand before the Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad lineups are named.

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad Predicted Lineup

Athletic Bilbao

Formation: 4-4-2 (probable)

Predicted Starting Lineup: Probable XI: Unai Simón; Hugo Rincón, Dani Vivian, Aymeric Laporte, Yuri Berchiche; Álex Berenguer, Beñat Gerenabarrena, Peio Canales, Nico Williams; Iñaki Williams, Maroan Sannadi

Real Sociedad

Formation: 4-2-3-1 (probable)

Predicted Starting Lineup: Probable XI: Álex Remiro; Jon Aramburu, Mamadou Sarr, Jon Martín, Sergio Gómez; Jon Gorrotxategi, Beñat Turrientes; Luka Sučić, Carlos Soler, Gonçalo Guedes; Mikel Oyarzabal

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad Key Stats & Match Facts

• Real Sociedad have received 2+ cards in 7 of their last 8 matches against Athletic Club in LaLiga.

• Yuri Berchiche has been carded in 3 of his last 3 appearances against Real Sociedad in LaLiga.

• Igor Zubeldia has been carded in 5 of his last 7 appearances against Athletic Club in LaLiga.

• Gonçalo Guedes has scored in 2 of his last 3 appearances against Athletic Club in LaLiga.

• Sergio Gómez has made 3+ tackles in 4 of his last 4 appearances against Athletic Club in LaLiga.

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad Prediction & Best Bets

Our prediction: Athletic Club 1-1 Real Sociedad. Athletic are rated the slight favourites on home soil and their back line has been miserly, but a Real Sociedad attack featuring Guedes and Oyarzabal is too sharp to shut out. Put simply, this Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad prediction is for a stubborn, messy derby that ends level, with both sides scoring and the hosts avoiding defeat.

Best Bets

Both Teams To Score: Yes First up among the Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad best bets is goals at both ends. Real Sociedad have scored at least 2 goals in their last 4 LaLiga matches, and the projections put both teams scoring at 66.97%, while Athletic showed against Getafe that they can hurt teams too.

Double Chance: Athletic Bilbao or Draw Athletic's unbeaten league run and miserly home defence make them awkward to beat at San Mamés, and the projections give the hosts or a draw a 66.92% figure. It sits neatly alongside our 1-1 call while leaning towards the side the numbers favour.

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad Bet Builder

These Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad bet builder tips lean into the derby's spikier side, combining card and foul legs at 7/2 with Bet365.

Beñat Gerenabarrena to be shown a card. The midfielder has gone into the book in every one of his last three LaLiga appearances, and a derby engine room is no place to calm down.

Jon Aramburu Over 1.5 Player Fouls. The right-back has cleared this line in six of his previous eight outings, and a direct winger like Nico Williams will keep him busy.

Over 4.5 Total Cards. There have been 5+ cards in 4 of the last 5 meetings between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club in LaLiga, and this rivalry rarely stays calm.

Over 2.5 Total Home Team Cards. Three of Athletic Club's last four LaLiga matches against Real Sociedad have seen them pick up 3+ cards, so the hosts' discipline is worth opposing.

At the time of writing, this bet builder pays a best price of 7/2 and is as short as 13/4 elsewhere.

Make sure to get the best odds on your Bet Builder with Oddschecker's Exclusive Bet Builder Comparison Tool.

Bet builder odds correct at time of publishing.

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad Talking Points

Edin Terzić gets his first official taste of this derby since succeeding Ernesto Valverde in May, and his best route to victory is obvious. Athletic love attacking down the left, and Real Sociedad have real problems defending the flanks, so Nico Williams against Jon Aramburu, fresh back from a soleus injury, could decide it. At the other end, Matarazzo's side create plenty and attack the wings well, but Athletic are excellent at defending set pieces and protecting a lead, which makes the first goal huge. Their finishing is the hosts' weak spot, and that is why we cannot see them pulling clear. Expect a physical, scrappy evening, with referees' notebooks getting plenty of use.

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad Predictions FAQs

When is Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad kicking off?

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad kicks off on Sunday 1 November 2026 at 20:00 UK time.

Where is Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad being played?

The match is being played at San Mamés in Bilbao.

What competition is Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad in?

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Sociedad is a LaLiga match in the 2026/2027 season.

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