The Submarine will fight for three points in LALIGA EA Sports’ spectacular ‘Retro Matchday’ (Sunday, 9pm CEST)
Villarreal CF visit Athletic Club this Sunday at 9pm CEST at San Mamés. A true blockbuster corresponding to matchday 31 of LALIGA EA Sports, which also comes with a historic twist. As part of the ‘Retro Matchday’ initiative promoted by the competition, both the Submarine and the Basque side will step onto the pitch wearing spectacular vintage kits designed exclusively for this weekend. A clash that promises nostalgia and passion in equal measure.
The team coached by Marcelino García Toral travel to Bilbao determined to return to winning ways and improve their away form, where victories have been hard to come by. The Groguets are looking to bounce back after a narrow defeat against Girona FC, a result that marked the first ever top flight defeat for the Yellow Submarine at Montilivi. However, that setback does not overshadow an outstanding season, with the team sitting firmly in an impressive third place on 58 points.
For their part, Athletic Club, eleventh in the table with 38 points, also arrive keen to respond. The Lions will look to make amends in front of their supporters after their last game, which was a defeat away to Getafe CF, where they lost 2-0, and are expected to approach the game with maximum intensity at San Mamés.
The challenge of breaking the San Mamés curse
San Mamés is always one of the toughest away trips of the season. In fact, Villarreal will be looking to end a negative run at the Basque stronghold, where they have not taken all three points for eight seasons. The last Villarreal win in Bilbao came in the 2018/19 campaign, when the Yellow Submarine produced a brilliant 0-3 victory, featuring a historic goal from Pablo Fornals.
Favourable precedent at the Estadio de la Cerámica
Despite the historic difficulty of playing away against Athletic Club, recent meetings between the two sides offer encouragement for the Groguets. In the first half of the season, played last September at the Estadio de la Cerámica, Villarreal CF claimed a narrow victory by 1-0, with the goal scored by Alberto Moleiro.
