Athletic Bilbao get their 2023-24 Copa del Rey campaign underway by making the trip to face Rubi.
At a time when the visitors sit in sixth place in La Liga, the home side participate in the sixth tier of Spanish football.
Match preview
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With no European football this season, Athletic Bilbao will view this competition as a major priority, aware that some of the bigger clubs will be focused elsewhere at certain points of the campaign.
Nevertheless, that is not to say that Ernesto Valverde will not see La Liga as the first option, with Athletic currently in sixth spot after accumulating 18 points from 11 matches.
Valverde's men are on a run of just one win in five games, undermining their excellent early work, but positives will be taken from earning a share of the spoils at home to Valencia at the weekend with a late goal.
Their three defeats this season have been at the hands of the big three, most recently away at Barcelona who came through by a 1-0 scoreline.
Back to this competition, though, and Athletic are attempting to end a 40-year wait since their last success, the same 1983-84 in which they won the double.
As for Rubi, this encounter represents one of the biggest in their 111-year existence having not reached the first round since 1994-95.
A penalty-shootout triumph over Rotlet Molinar was required to set up a showdown with Athletic after they had initially played out a goalless draw.
Jordi Peris's side are not in the best of form, however, with just one victory and four defeats coming in their last seven fixtures in all competitions.
Rubi currently occupy 13th spot in their 16-team division, two points above the bottom, and their target will be attempting to keep the scoreline respectable with their last two clean sheets coming in goalless draws.
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- L
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- L
Team News
Unless he has any fitness issues, Peris could look to name the same Rubi starting lineup from their previous fixture in this competition.
While Valverde may stop short in taking the exact opposite approach, many changes are expected ahead of the weekend's encounter with Villarreal.
Alex Berenguer, who scored as a substitute against Valencia, is in line to be used on one of the flanks.
Inigo Lekue, Mikel Vesga, Iker Muniain and Raul Garcia are also names that should be recalled to the team as they bid to boost their match fitness.
Rubi possible starting lineup:
Leva; Torres, Tenorio, Ruiz, Rodriguez; Masip, Albelda; Recort, Mulero, Abde; Muni
Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:
Agierrezabala; Lekue, Egiluz, Paredes, De Albeniz; Nolaskoain, Vesga; Ares, Munianin, Berenguer; Garcia
We say: Rubi 1-5 Athletic Bilbao
Valverde may make the level of changes that gives Rubi a chance of scoring a goal in this contest. Nevertheless, this will surely be a fixture dominated by Bilbao as they bid to enjoy an extended run in the competition.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Darren Plant
