Saturday’s match between Club Valencia and Athletic marks the 200th official confrontation between these two historic teams of the competition. This LaLiga classic, highlighting Julen Agirazabalain, is particularly important as it contrasts two teams fighting for fourth place in the historic Liga ranking. Since their first meeting in Mestalla in 1932, the Basque club and the Valencian club have fought 199 times, including matches by Liga, Copa del Rey, Liga Europa and the 1941 King’s Cup. The historical balance is notable, with the Athletic Bilbao winning 74 matches against 76 for Valencia, and a total of 308 goals scored by each team in these matches.

The balance is also reflected in the historical ranking of the Liga. Athletic Bilbao is currently fourth with 3814 points and 3070 games played, while Valencia is fifth with 3805 points and 2972 games. This difference in points is due to the fact that Valencia spent several seasons in Segunda División. A significant reversal occurred on 8 December 2024, when the Athletic Bilbao, after its victory over Villarreal, surpassed Valencia in the historical standings, reaching 3767 points against 3765 for the Valencian club. Although Valencia played less years in the First Division, this progress marks a turning point in their historical rivalry.

Historically, Valencia experienced a period of domination between 2010 and 2016, approaching the third place occupied by the Athletic Bilbao at that time. However, this position was lost six years later in favour of Athletic Madrid, which currently holds third place with 4058 points. FC Barcelona is second with 4947 points, and Real Madrid dominates the standings with 5055 points at the beginning of this competition day. The meeting on Saturday is therefore not only a confrontation between two leading teams, but also a key moment in the fight for third place in the Spanish football elite.