The clashes between the Zurigorri (red and whites) and the Txuriurdin (blue and whites) have provided several interesting facts since the first match between the two teams took place. Would you like to know some of them?
Details of derbies between Athletic Club and Real Sociedad played at San Mamés
The first derby in La Liga history to be played in Bilbao took place on April 28, 1929. Athletic Club won 4-2, thanks to two goals from Unamuno and goals from Juanín and Mandaluniz.
It was not until the following year, the 1929-30 season, that the first draw between Los Leones and the team from San Sebastian took place at the San Mamés stadium. The match ended in a 2-2 draw.
Meanwhile, Real Sociedad’s first away win came on March 5, 1933, when the match ended 2-1 in their favour.
Athletic Club and Real Sociedad went without a draw between 1929 and 1957 at San Mamés. During that period of almost 30 years, they met 16 times in La Liga, with 13 wins for ‘Los Leones’ and 3 for Real.
Crucial derbies
These derbies have often been crucial for one of the teams. For example, in the 1974-75 season, Athletic Club’s 2-1 win was vital in preventing them from being relegated to the Segunda División for the first time in their history.
Meanwhile, the 3-1 scoreline in 2001 all but assured the visitors of staying in La Primera.
The match played on the last day of the 1983-84 season, when Athletic Club was playing for the league title and Real Sociedad for a European place, is without doubt the most memorable. The 2-1 scoreline at the end of the match secured the title for ‘Los Leones’.
The biggest home win in a San Mamés derby to date was in the 1934-35 season, when the score was 7-0, following four goals from Bata, two from Elices and one from Careaga.
The biggest away win by Real Sociedad in Bilbao (4-1) was in the 1987-88 season, when the Txuriurdin finished runners-up in both La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
Meanwhile, the highest-scoring draw so far at San Mamés was in the 1961-62 season, when Athletic Club and Real Sociedad played out a 3-3 draw.
Athletic Club’s best run of home derbies was between the 1954-55 and 1971-72 seasons, 17 years in which Real Sociedad failed to win on any of the twelve occasions they visited ‘the Cathedral’ in La Liga.
Meanwhile, the visitors enjoyed their best run at San Mamés between 1993 and 2001, with two wins and six draws in a row.
