Aston Villa vs Athletic Bilbao

Walsall’s Bescot Stadium hosts an exciting summer friendly between Aston Villa and Athletic Bilbao.

Who would’ve thought that Aston Villa would fare as terribly as they did during their United States tour following back-to-back 3-0 wins at the beginning of their pre-season preparations? Yet, Unai Emery’s men lost all three exhibition contests overseas against Club America, Columbus Crew, and RB Leipzig by a combined score of 7-1, casting doubt on their lofty ambitions ahead of 2024/25. The Lions enjoyed a stellar 2023/24 campaign, snatching away a Champions League finish against the odds at the expense of Chelsea, Man Utd, and Tottenham. However, Villa’s form toward the end of last season left plenty to be desired, with the Birmingham outfit claiming just one win in eight matches (W1, D3, L4).

In the meantime, Athletic Bilbao missed out on a top-four finish in La Liga by an inch last term, having had to settle for a fifth place and another Europa League qualification. If it’s any consolation, Ernesto Valverde’s side capped off the 2023/24 season on a high, racking up two successive league wins ‘to nil,’ perhaps setting the tone for a more convincing top-flight campaign. However, the Basque giants have blown hot and cold in pre-season, picking up three wins in five while losing the other two, with four of those five matches producing over 2.5 goals. Though it would suggest a high-scoring game could be on the cards, it’s worth mentioning that only one of Bilbao’s four previous clashes against Villa have contained more than two goals.