Honestly, if you look at the history books, Liverpool vs Athletic Club isn't a fixture that happens every Tuesday. It’s rare. It’s special. When these two meet, it’s less about a frantic chase for three points and more about a collision of two of the most romantic, stubborn identities in world football.
One club refuses to sign anyone without Basque roots. The other is a global behemoth that still feels like a tight-knit Scouse family.
👉 See also: WNBA Schedule September 18 2025: The Playoff Chaos Nobody Expected
Most fans only remember the summer friendlies. But there is a weird, gritty history here involving coin tosses and European nights that feels like it belongs in a black-and-white movie.
The Coin Toss That Changed Everything
Let's go back to 1968. Long before VAR or even penalty shootouts were the standard way to settle a stalemate.
Liverpool and Athletic Club (often called Athletic Bilbao by those outside Spain) faced off in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Both legs ended 2-1 to the home side. Total deadlock. Aggregrate was 3-3.
The solution? A coin toss.
Basically, Liverpool’s European dreams were snuffed out because a piece of metal landed the wrong way up in the referee’s dressing room. Athletic won the toss and progressed. It’s the kind of "what if" that would make modern Twitter explode, but back then, it was just the harsh reality of the game.
Why They Keep Playing These Double-Headers
Fast forward to the summer of 2025. You might have seen the headlines about Liverpool playing two matches against Athletic on the same day.
It sounds like a glitch in a video game.
Arne Slot, who took over the reins at Anfield, used this "double-header" format at Anfield on August 4, 2025. Why? To get 90 minutes into every single player's legs before the Premier League season kicked off.
The first game saw a young, hungry Liverpool side—featuring the 16-year-old sensation Rio Ngumoha—tear Athletic apart 4-1. Ngumoha even bagged a goal that had the Kop purring. Then, just a couple of hours later, the "big guns" came out. Mo Salah, Cody Gakpo, and new signing Florian Wirtz (yes, the 2026 version of Liverpool is a scary sight) ground out a 3-2 win.
- Match 1: Liverpool 4-1 Athletic Club (Ngumoha, Nunez among scorers)
- Match 2: Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club (Gakpo double, Salah)
Athletic didn't just roll over, though. Oihan Sancet and the Williams brothers are a handful for any defense, even one led by Virgil van Dijk. Seeing Nico Williams sprinting down the wing at Anfield felt like a glimpse into a parallel dimension where he actually signed for the Reds.
The 1983 European Grudge Match
If you want to talk about real competitive stakes, you have to look at the 1983/84 European Cup. This was the era of Joe Fagan and "The Culture."
Liverpool drew 0-0 at home in the first leg. People were nervous. Going to the old San Mamés—known as "The Cathedral"—is basically like walking into a lion's den. It’s loud, it’s hostile, and the fans live and breathe for those red-and-white stripes.
👉 See also: Miami Heat at Nets: What Most People Get Wrong About This Matchup
In the second leg, Ian Rush did what Ian Rush did best. He scored the only goal of the game in Bilbao. 1-0. Liverpool moved on and eventually won the whole thing that year.
That's the level of respect between these clubs. Athletic Club is one of the few teams that can claim they’ve never been relegated from La Liga, alongside Real Madrid and Barcelona. That’s insane. They do it with a self-imposed handicap (the Basque-only policy), which makes their competitiveness against a club of Liverpool’s stature even more impressive.
Tactics: How the Two Styles Clash
When you watch Liverpool vs Athletic Club, you're seeing two different types of intensity.
- Liverpool’s Transition Game: Under Slot, the Reds have shifted slightly from Klopp's "heavy metal" football to something more controlled but equally lethal on the break. They use width from players like Jeremie Frimpong or Andy Robertson to stretch the pitch.
- Athletic’s Physicality: Ernesto Valverde’s men are physical. They press high, they tackle hard, and they rely on the telepathic connection between Inaki and Nico Williams.
In the 2025 friendlies, we saw Athletic’s high line get punished by the sheer pace of Liverpool’s front three. But when the game slowed down, Athletic’s midfield, led by the evergreen Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, actually controlled large chunks of the ball.
What These Matches Tell Us About the Future
If you’re looking for betting tips or just trying to understand the "vibe" of this fixture, remember that it usually produces goals. Even in the 1960s, these teams couldn't stop scoring against each other.
The double-header in 2025 was a masterclass in squad management. For Athletic, it was a chance to blood young talents like Adama Boiro and Maroan Sannadi against world-class opposition. For Liverpool, it was the final "tune-up" before the real stuff started.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Watch the Youth: Whenever these two play in pre-season, keep an eye on the second-half substitutes. This is where Liverpool often debuts their next big academy stars, like Rio Ngumoha or Trey Nyoni.
- Respect the San Mamés: If Liverpool ever draws Athletic in a European competition again, don't assume it's an easy win. The atmosphere in Bilbao is arguably the only one in Spain that rivals a night at Anfield.
- Tactical Shift: Notice how Liverpool now uses "inverted" roles more frequently under Slot compared to the pure wing-play of the Klopp era. This was evident in how they handled Athletic’s compact 4-4-2 block in their most recent encounters.
Ultimately, the bond between these two cities—both port cities, both fiercely proud of their local identity—means that even a "friendly" feels like it matters. It’s a matchup of soul over silver, even if the silver usually ends up in the Anfield trophy cabinet.
Next Steps for You:
Keep an eye on the UEFA coefficient rankings. With the expanded Champions League and Europa League formats, the chances of a competitive Liverpool vs Athletic Club fixture are higher than they’ve been in decades. You should also track the fitness of the Williams brothers; their availability completely changes how Athletic approaches games against high-pressing English sides. If you’re a Liverpool fan, watch the development of the youngsters who featured in the 4-1 win—they are the ones who will be starting these games by 2027.